Efforts are being made to revitalise Axminster Chamber of Commerce after a period of inactivity during the coronavirus lockdown.

Local businesses are being invited to attend the chamber's annual meeting which will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, April 6 at 7.30 p.m.

An appeal to support the meeting has been posted on the Axminster Noticeboard website by long-term chamber member Jane Rockett from Axminster Printing.

She said: "It's been a while since the chamber has been fully active. There is, however, currently a great deal of potential for its revival and it's really important that businesses have an effective voice and we play our part.

"With Totally Locally Axminster a key contributor, we do already have a lot of momentum and the time is right to get the chamber back into full voice.

"The AGM is a crucial starting point. Please do come along."

Barrie Hedges, who runs Totally Local Axminster, the organisation which promotes independent traders, said: "We encourage all those traders who have supported Totally Locally Axminster's various initiatives over the past two years to attend.

"The strength of the chamber over the coming months will be really important in contributing to Axminster's increasingly exciting revitalisation.

"If the town gets stronger then so do individual businesses and indeed the whole community as a whole."

The Zoom link for the annual meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81512890316

• Axminster Chamber of Commerce was founded in the 1940s with the late Mr H.R. (Lord Jeff) Jefferies the first secretary and was one of the town's most influential organisations through to the end of the century.

The chamber's current chairman is local estate agent Shane Morgan who has held the position for several years.