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Delegates at the first sessions of the KAN

A range of small and medium businesses attended the welcome event of the Knowledge Action Network (KAN) project at the Warrington Campus of the University of Chester recently.

The project brings together business owners and University expertise to explore new ideas and develop creative approaches to growth. It encourages business owners to take a critical and objective look at their companies with support from specialist speakers, University academics, individual business coaches and business peers.

The first of four development workshops will be held on Friday, 5^th July and local businesses are encouraged to make the most of this fully funded scheme supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

Monthly workshops and activities, including access to a personal business coach, will continue to the end of the year, with the opportunity to network with other small and medium sized businesses across the region. 

Businesses already signed up to the project cover a wide range of sectors from manufacturers of industrial hoses through to sports coaching and business cost reduction specialists. 

Professor Lawrence Bellamy, Associate Dean of Warrington Management School, said: “At the University we know that small businesses are at the heart of the UK economy with creative, innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. However, we also understand that setting up and developing a business can create obstacles and challenges.

Through our work with small businesses we have found that when business owners work together to share, support and network, it sparks creative and innovative thinking which is a catalyst for growth.”

Businesses interested in joining the Knowledge Action Network in Warrington should contact Sandra Carr via phone on 01244 511177 or email KnowledgeActionNetwork@chester.ac.uk