Bridport: Spirit of Bridport receives £15k windfall (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Bridport: Spirit of Bridport receives £15k windfall

10:40am Friday 20th April 2012 in Bridport By James Tourgout

THE Spirit of Bridport has scooped £15,000 for its business forum to help boost the local economy.

The group gained the cash from the Chalk and Cheese European Local Action funding programme, which is part of the Rural Development Programme for England.

The funding will allow it to develop training and marketing and liaison capabilities for businesses as well as a website to promote them.

The success comes after more than 40 businesses attended an initial launch event last spring.

Spirit co-chairman Ros Kayes, who wrote the bid with volunteer Kristina Broughton, said: “It’s taken a long time to get this funding.

“But hopefully the businesses who have expressed an interest in the forum will see an up-pace in our activities now.

“We will be able to appoint a co-ordinator for the forum and really begin to get working on promoting businesses in the town, linking in with other bodies like the chamber and the tourist association as well.”

Part of the grant is also for this year’s Bridport News-backed festival activities.

They include the Heritage Forum’s Rope and Net exhibition in the Town Hall this August, and the Home photographic project, which seeks to document lives in the town in 2012.

Coun Kayes added: “We have always aimed to promote Bridport in a joined up way.

“The Business Forum, which was the brainchild of Kit Glaisyer, and the Festival of Culture from August 11 to 27 are meant to link together so that all businesses in the town can benefit from the increased footfall and marketing during the festival months.

“Now we have an opportunity to really make this work.

“There are a lot of creative businessmen and women involved behind the scenes.

“Now we have the chance to help develop their ideas for the good of the town as a whole.”