FREE BUSINESS ADVICE FOR REGION'S ENTREPRENEURS

Posted 21 February 2002

BUSINESS CONSULTANTS will be on hand to offer free advice to the region's rural entrepreneurs at a series of meetings from February until June.

At Craven Arms, Leominster and Tenbury Wells over the next four months, the Marches Farm Enterprise Programme (MFEP) will provide a free mentoring service for people developing new businesses on farms.

Tony Asson, MFEP business advisor and agricultural advisor, and Gaynor Orton, a market researcher and lecturer from Harper Adams University College, Shropshire, will offer advice and practical guidance, on topics such as producing a winning business plan.

They will make their expertise available as part of a series of Business Workshops organised by the Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE) initiative to give like-minded entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet, exchange views, compare experiences and get a second opinion on their bright ideas.

The first free Business Mentoring will be available following the Introduction to Business Marketing workshop, to be held at the Aspire Centre, Burford, Tenbury Wells on Tuesday, February 26, and at the Community Centre, Shrewsbury Road, Craven Arms on Thursday, February 28.

Both workshops run from 11am until 2pm and include a free buffet lunch. In addition, Rural Opportunities will refund the cost of childcare if you use a registered childminder and obtain a receipt.

Future workshops will cover the topics of Business Finance, Planning, Staff Development and Taxation and Law. Each workshop will be held at the Tenbury Wells and Craven Arms venues as well as at the offices of the Marches Consortium, within West Lodges Office, Rainbow Street, Leominster.

If you are interested in free business mentoring support or attending one of the forthcoming business workshops, please register your interest by contacting Franziska Fisken, MFEP Project Manager, on 01 952 815 296 or by E-mail: ffisken@harper-adams.ac.uk

For further information, please log on to the MFEP web-site: www.mfep.co.uk

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