Former Aston Villa and England manager Graham Taylor will attend a networking event for businesses across the region focusing on the topic of leadership under pressure.
Mr Taylor will give the benefit of his experience as guest speaker at the event, which is being hosted by Birmingham YMCA.
The event which is being sponsored by No. 5 Chambers and is being held on March 24 at Austin Court, Brindleyplace, Birmingham in conjunction with Poverty and Homelessness Week.
Birmingham YMCA is asking attendees of the event for a donation of £20 each to assist them in their fundraising for the re-development of the current Erdington site, called The Orchard.
The Orchard is a £13.5 million re-development of the YMCA’s existing premises on Reservoir Road, Erdington.
The community centre at the heart of the fundraising campaign will provide a nursery, youth centre, multi-use community hall, meeting rooms and resources to support local social enterprises. This will be in addition to the 83 self contained flats which are already being built on the site.
Alan Fraser, chief executive of Birmingham YMCA, said: “Knowing how to lead your business when the pressure is on is vital to the success of a business. We would like to offer support and advice to the business community of Birmingham from a speaker who knows what it’s like to cope under the kind of extreme pressures that top-flight football can throw up. We want as many local business leaders as possible to join us for this event.
“Not only will they get the inside track on how Graham Taylor has coped with a career in the spotlight, they will also be supporting a key new development from one of the longest-serving charities in the city”
Costs of the development are estimated to be approximately £13.5 million, but there is still £1.5 million yet to be secured and sourced from local residents and businesses as well as from generous benefactors and philanthropists.
The event will be held between 5.30pm-8.00pm on 24 March at Austin Court, Brindleyplace, Birmingham.
