Dozens of business owners across Reading came together to celebrate their successes this month.

From freelancers to CEO's, the First Friday Club offers business owners a chance to share ideas, collaborate and celebrate the business community of Reading.

On Friday, April 5, the select group of people gathered at ‘Electric Hair’ on King’s Road which will this year celebrate the twentieth birthday of their Reading salon.

The director of the Oracle shopping centre, Andy Briggs, introduced Nick and Peter who are from the Reading branch of the Associations of Ukrainians in Great Britain to speak about the work they are doing across Reading and Berkshire.

Terry Dixon, from Terry’s Walking Tours was awarded with the Ukrainian Angel of Hope for raising £2886.56 for the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre over the last year

He said: “When I started off seven and a half years ago, I hadn’t been working in Reading full stop and I knew nobody. I had this idea of maybe doing a few walks and maybe raising a bit of money and here I am 7 and a half years later raising over £19,000.

“I never had any idea that the journey I’ve been on when I took a chance to retire early, that I would meet so many wonderful people and be able to help so many wonderful charities.”

Mark Woolley, the founder and creative director of Electric Hair also spoke about future plans for the salon as they enter their twentieth year.

This includes the refurb of their current salon into a modern and social space which can be used for a range of events as well as a state-of-the-art salon.