Mid Sussex Leaders’ Lunch Raises £5,400 for Rockinghorse

On Friday 9 October, decision-makers from across the region came together at Greentrees Estate for the Mid Sussex Leaders’ Lunch. The business networking lunch was hosted by Flex Matters, a specialist recruitment agency in Sussex, with headline sponsor Howden, in support of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

Over £5,400 raised for Rockinghorse

The day raised over £5,400 for Rockinghorse, which supports children and families across Sussex. Guests were especially generous during the raffle, and every pound will make a real difference to local families when they need it most. Businesses interested in fundraising, partnering or volunteering with the charity can find out more at rockinghorse.org.uk.

A warm welcome, a lovely lunch

Guests were welcomed with a glass of Ridgeview and canapés sponsored by The London Women’s Clinic. The Angelic Host prepared a two-course lunch, sponsored by ReGenAI, and Cocoa Sisters finished things off with sweet treats alongside coffee.

Mid Sussex: a brilliant place to do business

Alison Bennett, MP for Mid Sussex, spoke about leadership, collaboration and the vital role resilient, forward-thinking businesses play in the region’s prosperity. Her message was simple: Mid Sussex is a brilliant place to do business, and it’s the people around the table who make it so.

The lunch was designed to encourage real conversation rather than quick business-card swaps. Guests talked about investing in people, doing things differently, and staying resilient when plans change.

“It was wonderful to see so many leaders choosing to invest their time in each other and in the community,” said Emma Cleary, Founder of Flex Matters. “We’re already looking forward to the next one.” Connect withEmma Cleary on LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Flex Matters.

If you’re hiring, we’d love to hear about it: talk to us about flexible recruitment.

Thank you

Our thanks go to:

Alison Bennett MP, for her warm and inspiring words
Howden, our headline sponsor
Our food and drink sponsors listed above
Greentrees Estate, for hosting us in such a gorgeous setting
Beth Wild, who captured the day so beautifully (she’s also offering 10% off headshots)
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, for everything they do for children and families across Sussex

See the photos

Browse the full Mid Sussex Leaders’ Lunch gallery to see the lovely faces that made our day! (password: Rockinghorse)

What’s next

Support Rockinghorse. Two upcoming events:

The Rockinghorse Quiz: Thursday 5 November, 6pm–11.30pm, Sussex County Cricket Ground
The Rockinghorse Wonderland Ball: Thursday 25 February 2027, 6pm–midnight, Corn Exchange, Brighton

To get involved in other ways, contact Laura (laura@rockinghorse.org.uk) or Sharon (sharon@rockinghorse.org.uk).

This won’t be the last time we gather around the table. Until then, keep connecting, keep giving back, and keep making Mid Sussex brilliant.

Photography: Beth Wild

Mid Sussex leaders lunch : a warm gathering to raise funds for Rockinghorse Children’s charity