Green and Black’s founder supports new centre for region’s businesses

The Centre for SME Development was officially launched at an event at the University’s Westleigh conference centre.

Lancashire entrepreneurs are set to benefit from a new business support hub at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) which will enable small to medium sized enterprises to grow.

The Centre for SME Development was officially launched at an event at the University’s Westleigh conference centre, led by director Dr Sue Smith.

The launch of the new initiative was supported by Jo Fairley, co-founder of Green and Black’s, who delivered a speech sharing her inspiring story and top tips for achieving success.

Since setting up Green and Black’s in 1991 with her husband Craig Sams, Jo has helped build the ethical product into a worldwide brand worth almost £100million and regularly selected as one of Britain’s CoolBrands.

In 2005, the company was sold to Cadbury’s, and Jo now travels the world in her role as a brand ambassador.

“ Lancashire is home to over 38,000 SMEs and it’s important they’re aware that the business development support they need is available.”

Jo Fairley said: “A very relevant piece of advice I always give to entrepreneurs is to take all the free help on offer to you, and there are some fantastic new opportunities opening up at UCLan via the Centre for SME Development. I certainly wish there had been something similar available to me when I was starting out.

“Sometimes in business you can feel like a lone salmon swimming upstream, but with these types of support services on offer, it’s a chance to meet like-minded people and realise you’re not alone.”

Dr Sue Smith, director of the Centre for SME Development, said: “Lancashire is home to over 38,000 SMEs and it’s important they’re aware that the business development support they need is available, regardless of sector or industry.

“The Centre for SME Development is going to play an important role in the local business community, and in turn the economy, by supplying the resources required to achieve success and growth, including fresh talent in the form of students and graduates, the expertise of academics and mentors and first-class facilities.”

“ A very relevant piece of advice I always give to entrepreneurs is to take all the free help on offer to you, and there are some fantastic new opportunities opening up at UCLan via the Centre for SME Development.”

As a gateway to the University, the Centre for SME Development enables the region’s SMEs to access a range of support, including world-class expertise, workshops and networking events, consultancy, bespoke training and recruitment.

The launch also featured a question and answer panel made up of local business experts, comprising Keith Molloy, enterprise manager at South Ribble Borough Council, Paul Foster, development manager for Lancashire and Cumbria at the Federation of Small Businesses and Jeanette Carr, business development manager at the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. The next event will be a Business Twilight on July 6. For more information on the Centre for SME Development, contact 01772 895500 or sme@uclan.ac.uk