A GROUP of Worcester sixth formers and two officials from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce mixed with the good and the great of the chamber of commerce world at a major event in London.

Cassie Bray, the local chamber's head of business and development, and Jack Stephens, its policy and PR executive, were joined by four students from the Royal Grammar School, Worcester, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in the heart of Westminster for the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference.

Miss Bray said: "The BCC annual conference was a great chance to hear from key political and business representatives in a year of seismic importance for British businesses. There was a great sense of optimism surrounding the economy and business conditions moving forward. It was fantastic that students from RGS Worcester had the opportunity to attend the event and find out more about the wider chamber network and its influence on the national and international scene.“

At the one day event a host of highly regarded and successful business leaders from across the globe, joined a number of senior politicians – including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister – to discuss Britain’s place in the global marketplace, a business plan for Britain, the countries economic future and the business case for devolution.

Mr Stephens said: "Optimism over the future of the economy was a common theme in the speeches of the political guests, who, by and large, agreed with the pro-business mantra upheld by BCC director general John Longworth, whose own speech focused on business finances, skills, empowering British exporters and the EU, the only point that saw significant divergence of views.

"The British Chambers, who acknowledge the majority of their members favour remaining in the economic alliance, have called for a referendum to be held in 2016, in the hope that businesses will suffer a shorter period of uncertainty before the proposed in-out vote. This message, however, was not shared by the three main parties; both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat speakers advocated a 2017 referendum, while their Labour counterparts dismissed the idea of a referendum outright."