MEP praises new business group

MEP Trevor Colman was the guest at the second meeting of an innovative business group serving South Devon.

He spoke and gave an impromptu surgery at a 4Networking business breakfast at the Ten Tors Inn in Exeter Road, Kingsteignton.

More than 30 organisations were represented at the event, including its chosen charity, the C-Group, which aims to encourage businesses to support Royal Marines in need, particularly those entering civilian life after an injury.

The meeting was chaired by Gerry Bolt, a business development manager for Bartercard, who said: “We aim to fill a niche in the local business world by providing a cost-effective networking group which meets both in person and online.

“We’re flexible, in that members can join 4Networking and attend events at a range of times and venues to suit them.

“We had 32 people at the latest breakfast, which was only our second in Kingsteignton, so we’re really pleased at how well it’s progressing. We’re also launching a sister group in Buckfastleigh on July 11, and we’re hoping that will be equally as successful.”

The speaker at Kingsteignton event was Rick Timmis, technical director of The Unit, whose subject was Britain’s changing relationship with the European Union.

He said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Colman to our meeting, and I hope he left with a flavour of the great variety of enterprise and initiative which exist among small and medium-sized enterprises in the local area.”

Mr Colman, the UKIP member for the South West said: “I was surprised at how positive the meeting was, there is so much energy and potential there.

“No one was trying to score points, it was a lovely, open and receptive forum.”

To find out more about local 4Networking groups, please contact Gerry Bolt on 07836 576615 or see the website www.4Networking.biz.