02/06/2026
🎾 Basingstoke BNI Weekly Round-Up – Wimbledon Special 🎾
With Wimbledon almost upon us, this week’s meeting had all the ingredients of a Centre Court classic: teamwork, strategy, unexpected twists, and at least one moment where you could almost hear the umpire asking… “So what’s the point?” 🤔
As it turns out, quite a lot.
🎯 Core Values
Paul spoke about the BNI philosophy of Givers Gain.
At first glance, it might seem a bit counterintuitive. Why spend time looking for opportunities for other people’s businesses?
“So what’s the point?” Well, much like a doubles match, the magic happens when everyone is playing for the team. If everyone is actively looking out for one another, the reach of the whole chapter expands far beyond what any one person could achieve alone.
More eyes on opportunities. More conversations. More chances to win. As in tennis 🎾, nobody lifts a trophy on their own.
🎓 Education
This week’s education slot came from Jill Gibson, focusing on referrals.
Jill reminded us that referrals are not just about passing names along. They are about relevance, timing and understanding what people actually do.
Between us, there is a huge network in the room. The challenge is staying switched on, listening properly, and recognising opportunities when they appear.
Because more often than not, they come when you least expect them.
As someone might say at Centre Court:
“You cannot be serious!” 😲
And yet, that is exactly how it happens.
🏟️ A Change of Court
This was our final meeting at The Tavern (Gaming Cafe in Basingstoke).
A much loved venue that we will miss that has seen early mornings, strong coffee ☕, plenty of referrals, and more than a few business wins quietly built in the background.
But on to the next tournament...
From 3rd June 2026, we head to our new home at:
BizSpace, Belvedere House, Basing View, Basingstoke, RG21 4HG 🎾
Same energy. New court. Fresh momentum.
🏆 The Two-Minute Slot
Last week’s winner, Paul Turvey-Mason, awarded next week’s two-minute presentation to Caspar Hill. Caspar brought us the emotional rollercoaster of supporting Spurs ⚽, a journey best described as character building, occasionally joyful, and often unpredictable. Alongside that, he shared his work in investments, pensions and retirement planning.
His key question for members:
💭 “How much do I need to live each month?”
Simple on the surface, but often the start of something much bigger.
🎤 Centre Court Presentation
This week’s ten-minute spotlight went to Andy Burgess of Jet Net Systems.
Andy took us from his childhood in the North East of England (a time, as he generously admitted, when he had more hair 😄) through his career in computing and into the founding of his own business after redundancy changed his direction.
A particularly touching moment was his reflection on his late mother, who first encouraged him towards computing, a decision that clearly shaped everything that followed.
He then broke down three core programming concepts:
🎾 Sequence🎾 Branching🎾 Looping
And instead of technical jargon, he brought them to life with real world humour and examples that made everyone in the room nod along.
The highlight was a story about friends, demo computers at Dixons 🖥️, and mischievous looping programs that repeatedly displayed unexpected messages.
A reminder that technology and chaos have always gone hand in hand. At which point you could almost hear Centre Court erupt:
“YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!” 😄
🎾 Match Point
BNI works when people show up, listen, connect, and actively look for ways to help each other win.
And occasionally share a story about Spurs, old computers, and questionable programming decisions.
A fitting final meeting at The Tavern.
A new chapter waiting at Belvedere House.
And as we head into it…
New balls please. 🎾
📸 Photo Credit
Photo credit: Sandra Sergeant
