DORSET Growth Hub ran a series of entrepreneurship events to support Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The hub is the government-funded business support team offering help through WSX Enterprise and Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The hub used the global campaign week to highlight some of the business support available in the county.

Events included a Get Connected communications session at Bournemouth University, which saw businesses taking part in a series of talks and workshops on subjects like social media and branding.

Mark Painter, manager of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Bournemouth University, said: “These events provided a great opportunity for local businesses to gain knowledge, make new contacts and find out more about the wide range of support available to help them grow their businesses.

“I was delighted that two of my colleagues, Dr Chris Chapleo and Dr Ana Adi, were the invited speakers for the Get Connected event, which provided businesses with a really useful insight into communicating via a brand and social media.”

Dorset Growth Hub also played host to a Dragons Den event which saw five ‘dragons’ from local firms and support organisations being pitched to by up and coming Dorset entrepreneurs.

The winner was Arran Campbell from My KoolBox Ltd, who has a product due to arrive on retailers’ shelves by next summer. He won up to £3,000 of business support, including a business mentor for a year and an online review. The week also saw Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester host an entrepreneurship exhibition, with more than 15 businesses displaying their business support offerings to businesses from Dorset and beyond.

Exhibitors included Barclays, Natwest, Dorset councils, Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bournemouth University, Kingston Maurward College and Silicon South.

Anyone with business queries can contact Dorset Growth Hub on 08454 586 480 or email info@dorsetgrowthhub.co.uk