Local MP Caroline Dinenage is calling for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to register for the Gosport Enterprise Fair, which will take place this Friday the 17th at the Jervis Gallery, St Vincent.
The event is free to attend and will bring together local businesses, entrepreneurs and business support organisations. Caroline is hosting the event, which concludes Gosport Enterprise Week, in partnership with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and Gosport Borough Council.
An exciting line-up of speakers will talk about entrepreneurship and the funding and support available locally for starting and growing a business. Confirmed speakers include the author, restaurant owner and 2012 MasterChef winner, Shelina Permalloo, Steve Futter, the Local Growth Programme Manager at the Solent LEP, and Jo Murchie, a branding consultant who was formally Director of Sales at Warner Bros.
Following on from the speeches Caroline will chair a Q&A session with successful local businesswomen, and there will be opportunities for networking with representatives from key business support organisations such as Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Last year the event attracted over 100 guests, and places for this year’s event are filling up fast. To reserve a place please email jessica.prestidge@parliament.uk
Commenting, Caroline said: ‘As a former small business owner myself, I appreciate the immense value of expert guidance, especially in the somewhat daunting, early stages of starting your own business. There’s a huge amount of support available, but locating the most appropriate advice isn’t always easy. An event like this, which brings a wealth of expertise together, promises to be hugely beneficial, and I encourage anyone even considering starting a business to attend. After all, it’s never too early to start planning!’