Group wants more women (From Croydon Guardian)

Group wants more women

2:43pm Friday 24th August 2007

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Croydon's only non-profit making business organisation is hoping to recruit more female members.

Croydon Enterprise Plus is a group of Croydon business owners who meet over breakfast every second Thursday.

“Because we are non-profit making then we do not have the need to survive like many other similar organisations in Croydon and do not need to pile people in. However, we would certainly like to get more women in business on board.”

Cliff Davison Lungley

Despite the fact numbers have grown steadily over the two years since its formation, there has been a distinct under-representation of women joining the group.

Chairman Cliff Davison Lungley is hoping the group can branch out and build the membership up.

He said: "The group was formed two years ago after a similar organisation BNI closed down due to a lack of funding.

"After that a core group of us formed Croydon Enterprise Plus and it was novel because it was non-profit making.

"Our membership is so varied with people from estate agents to IT support workers. It is a great way of building business relationships and each one of us has benefited from each other."

Mr Davison Lungley said the organisation tends to attract smaller businesses because of its nature and that they would be keen to take on members with different types of trades.

He added: "No one is tied down to becoming members and we operate an open door policy for people to come in and see how we operate before they commit."

The organisation has 14 members - 13 men and one woman - and Cliff would like it to remain smaller rather than larger.

He explained: "Because we are non-profit making then we do not have the need to survive like many other similar organisations in Croydon and do not need to pile people in. However, we would certainly like to get more women in business on board."

If you would like to attend a meeting, visit the Hilton Hotel in Purley Way, Croydon, on August 30, or call 0845 111 0133.

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