Over 50 businesses from across the Test Valley were on show yesterday for the Bigger Networking Event.
The showcase was at the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop and featured a wide range of businesses from Wine Producers, solicitors, kitchen designers and marketing agencies.
Organiser Andrea Barry from Andover Women in Business (AWIB) is pleased with the way the event has grown. “We started at the Guildhall six years ago, had support from David Gleave from Test Valley Borough Council who paid for us to move into The Lights, but now we have outgrown that venue.
“Finding a location for 53 businesses to exhibit themselves in very difficult in the Test Valley.”
The event is organised by AWIB on a non-profit basis to encourage local businesses to trade with each other. Exhibitors at the Middle Wallop venue included local companies like New Street Dental Care, Venture Security and Kalan Media as well as larger organisations like Barclays Bank, the Enterprise Network and Test Valley Borough Council.
Visitors to the event which had talks from speakers to encourage better business through the uncertainty of Brexit could also find out more about the benefits of offering staff The Lifestyle Card, a discount and loyalty initiative set-up by local couple Sean and Fiona Caruana. Not-for-profit organisations like Unity, I Can Therapy Centre and Andover Mencap were also on hand.
Mrs Barry added, “You can go to big exhibitions where it costs £400 to have a space. Now, that’s a lot of money for a small business, whereas ours is just £25”. AWIB are already planning their next event for 2019.
