We are helping women to start new businesses

From the Worcester News, first published Wednesday 6th Jun 2007.

MORE than 40 women in Worcestershire have successfully started new businesses in just over a year with the backing of an innovative work-life balance support network.

The idea to create the new support network is the brainchild of two local businesswomen, Anne Simper and Anabela Ferreira, who run a business support and training company, called Balancing Business, which covers the whole of the county from its base at Redditch.

Having secured European Social Fund money, provided as part of the Equal programme, the pair set about attracting women to the project by meeting them at local community and family centres, schools and support groups for new mothers.

Since starting up, the support network has attracted more than 170 women living across the West Midlands who have become active members.

They attend workshops and monthly networking sessions to meet and share their experiences. Forty successful start-ups have been formed to date, some of which are now employing other women from the business support network.

Anne Simper, project manager at Balancing Business, said: "Many of the women we met had great talent and ability but lacked the time to dedicate to a full-time job or training course.

"Some had been in business before and others had worked in the past but no longer felt they could find time for a career due to other responsibilities such as looking after young children or caring for family members.

"They needed help to re-focus their skills and create a way of working to match their lifestyle, so they could start to contribute to the family economically, while having time for other commitments.

"We saw this as a work-life balance challenge."

A wide range of new businesses have been formed as a result of the project, ranging from a hat-seller, to a maker of speciality chocolates and a wraparound childcare business linked to local schools.

For more details about Balancing Business go to the website www.balancingbusiness.co.uk

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