Member Article

Family event to boost Durham's business base

Stilt-walkers and street artists will be helping to spread the message to people in Durham that being self-employed is a real option for everyone. A series of three Start Up Saturday events, organised by Business Link, will give people the chance to have an informal chat with advisers about starting up their own business.

Business Link’s Mobile Office Unit will be in Durham’s Market Place on Saturday 2, 16, and 30 June, between 11am and 3pm and additional advisors will be based in The Gate and near to Prince Bishop’s Shopping Centre. To make sure that the whole family enjoys the event there will be stilt-walkers, face painters and a competition that gives the family the chance to win an ipod or digital camera.

Organiser Julie Richards said: “We want to encourage people to realise that starting their own business is a real option. We are challenging the people of County Durham to come to us with their business ideas – however large or small – so that we can give the expert help and advice they need to carry them forward.”

County Durham needs another 6,000 VAT registered businesses to meet the national average and the County Durham Enterprise Strategy aims to create that number by 2023. It is hoped that at least 100 people will talk to an advisor at each of the three events as a similar day in March attracted nearly 130 people.

Julie said: “Our aim is to make advice points accessible and give people the chance to have informal and confidential chats with our advisors. Durham Market Place is a popular location so we are hoping for a good turn-out.”

For further details of the three Start Up Saturday events please contact Julie Richards on 0191 374 4014 or email at julierichards@businesslinknortheast.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .