Women's Business Network (WBN)
Women's Business Network (WBN) was a non-profit distributing company, which traded from April 2001 to December 2007.
During these six years WBN supported the creation of new networks for women in business and thinking of starting a business across the North West of England, building membership to over 50 networks, representing over 5,000 women.
We are proud of the achievements of the organisation and the legacy of WBN is that we continue to work together, share our contacts and promote business between women entrepreneurs. Although WBN may not operate as a company in the future, its ethos and strong network has provided solid foundations for future work together.
Our member networks continue to go from strength to strength, continuing to provide support to women entrepreneurs across the North West region and promoting networking as an effective way to support women setting up and running their own businesses.
Our member networks are all independent and deliver a range of activities in response to their members' needs. Each of the networks offer real value to their members, they are founded on motivation, empowerment and mutual support.
During its lifetime, WBN also shared information and advice to help and encourage anyone wishing to develop a new network.
Working collaboratively with Co-ordinators of Women's Business Networks in Belgium, WBN Co-ordinators collected their knowledge and experience to produce The Blue Book - A Guide to Developing Networks, a step by step guide through the network creation process.
As partners in the innovative Accelerating Women's Enterprise (AWE) project, supported by European Social Fund (ESF) Equal funding, WBN delivered a range of activities to support enterprising women, working with organisations across the UK and Europe.
Examples include:
- Organising exchange visits between network members or network co-ordinators, both within the UK and in Europe
- Bringing women in business together within a particular industry sector to work together, sharing costs and resources to benefit their individual businesses
- Organising an annual conference for women in business and women thinking of starting a business
- Facilitating skills workshops for women from across the region
- The range of activities and experiences of all the UK partners are captured in the final evaluation report, together with case studies of women who benefitted from the programme.
As recognition of its success, WBN was cited as an example of good practice in the Department of Trade and Industry's Strategic Framework for Women's Enterprise in 2004.
We would like to thank all those who supported WBN, and especially the Network Co-ordinators throughout the North west, who continue to give their time and energy to supporting women in business.