The Wellingborough and North Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce is offering local businesses a practical look at artificial intelligence (AI) at its Spring Meeting and Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Taking place on Friday, April 24, 2026, the event will be held at Wellingborough Golf Club from 8:00am to 11:00am.
This year’s speaker session, “What AI Actually Means for Small Businesses”, will feature two local AI and automation practitioners, David Perkins and Richard Bland. They will cut through the noise and demonstrate how AI is already helping small businesses handle tasks like quoting, onboarding, customer follow-up, and content creation.
David and Richard will share real scenarios from their own client work, a framework for thinking about where AI fits in your business, and an honest look at what it can and cannot do.
They said: “Whether you are curious, sceptical, or somewhere in between, you will leave with a clearer picture of what is worth paying attention to and what is just hype.”
David Perkins runs Perkins SmartOps, a Irthlingborough business that helps SMEs automate their operations using self-hosted tools and AI. With previous experience in Internal Audit, IT Operations and Process Improvement, he can help businesses identify where automation and AI can add value.
Richard Bland is the founder of Marbl Codes, a Wellingborough-based digital agency specialising in AI-powered platforms and web development. With 27 years in software development, he builds tools that help businesses automate content, streamline operations, and put AI to practical use. He is currently developing Luma, an AI intelligence platform, and advises SMEs on integrating AI into their existing workflows without the hype.
The full morning agenda includes breakfast and networking from 8:00am, a Chamber welcome and AGM proceedings at 9:00am, followed by the AI speaker session at 10:00am, and more networking opportunities until 11:00am.
The event is open to members and non-members. Attendance costs £5 for members and £10 for non-members.