Edge Hill University's pledged to back the new Skelmersdale Ambassadors group to show how academia and businesses can work more closely together to promote the town.

The latest Skelmersdale Ambassadors Business Breakfast was a great success with 64 people from 47 businesses and organisations attending the event at Edge Hill University’s Tech Hub last Wednesday morning.

Skills and employment were the themes of the event, and attendees were informed of skills and employment initiatives at both a strategic level and how to access support locally.

Roy Bayfield, Edge Hill University’s Director of Corporate Communications and a member of the Place Board, was MC and speakers - pictured above - were Dr. Michele Lawty-Jones, Director of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub (part of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership), Stefan Montarius, Site Manager at SCA Hygiene Products Ltd., Serge Patrick-Heselton, Operations Director at Solid Sheds and Peter Richards, Strategic Planning & Implementation Manager from West Lancashire Borough Council.

The two local Skelmersdale businesses told their story and showcased methods of best practice.

Skelmersdale Ambassadors are becoming a powerful group which aims to enable local businesses to network and raise their profile as well as showcase and celebrate Skelmersdale as a great place to live, work and invest. And feedback from the business breakfast was really positive with individuals taking advantage of the information on offer as well as taking advantage of the networking time and the opportunity to make new business connections.

The Skelmersdale Place Board handed welcome packs to those who have pledged to be Skelmersdale Ambassadors.

Edge Hill University invited attendees to experience the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE), a super immersive 3D virtual environment which forms part of the University's Technology Hub and will be used by cutting edge businesses in the future.

The date of the next event is Wednesday 11 October – all information will be on the website www.westlancs.gov.uk/skelmersdaleambassadors

*If you run a business interested in learning more about becoming a Skelmersdale Ambassador, please email lets.talk@westlancs.gov.uk or call the Council’s Economic Regeneration Team on 01695 712692.