A business training programme – The Growing Club – specifically for women in business, will expand across the north west this year, kicking off with taster sessions in Kendal, Lancaster and Preston.
Located at the Women and Enterprise Hub in Lancaster, The Growing Club is an award-winning, not-for-profit organisation and has been running successfully for three years, with over 60 women from across the north west graduating from the year-long business training course.
The Growing Club is a unique business growth training programme and social enterprise, created to address the gaps in small business training and education for women, whilst delivering an inspiring peer-support network.
The organisation is rapidly making a difference to communities of women in Lancashire. In 2017, their pre-start-up programme – The Sowing Club – was launched, following receipt of funding. Courses ran across Lancaster and Morecambe, inspiring 40 women who were stuck on benefits, or in low-paid work, to re-engage with their skills and dreams to create a better life for themselves and their children. The women had incredibly varied backgrounds, all ages from mid-20s to early 60s, women with disabilities, women refugees and women who have escaped domestic violence.
The Growing Club’s founder and trainer, Jane Binnion, said: “Every woman who runs a business whilst juggling various domestic responsibilities will know that mainstream business education can be lacking when it comes to understanding our challenges. Evidence has shown that having support networks in place whilst running a business results in a higher success rate. The Growing Club seeks to bridge gaps in business education for women, whilst providing a strong peer-support network. We are delighted by the successful expansion of our training course.”
The taster sessions are as follows:
Kendal
The South Lakes growth programme is run by Jennie Edmondson. She’s holding a taster session on Thursday 14 March 2019, 10.00-11.30hrs, at Castle Street Community Centre in Kendal. Tickets here.
Lancaster
The programme in Lancaster is facilitated by Katie Birks and Nicola Garrett. The taster session is on Wednesday 6 March at 13.30-15.00hrs at The Women and Enterprise Hub, White Cross. Tickets here. For more information, call 07892 712417.
Preston
Our Preston programme is run by Judith Loughlin and Jane Binnion. Their taster course will be held on Tuesday 5 March 2019, 10.00-12.00hrs, The Larder in Preston. Tickets here.
