A new Blackburn BNI group set for launch on 21 September will be the first group in Lancashire to meet for brunch rather than breakfast.
Meeting every Friday at 10 am at Tiggis on the A59, the group has been launched to cater for business people keen to be part of BNI, but who are unable to commit to pre-hours breakfast meetings that are the norm in other groups.
The launch follows closely on the news that BNI East Lancashire was named the top region in the UK for the international referral marketing organisation.
Established over 30 years, BNI has over 200,000 members in over 70 countries worldwide. It works by organising weekly networking meetings for groups of businesses. Groups, known as chapters, use their combined network of contacts to find business opportunities and referrals for one another, to a specific brief that members outline at every meeting.
Marc Mcloughlin of Ribchester-based KeyFleet Vehicle Leasing, who will be steering the launch of the new group, said: “BNI is a really thriving community right now in East Lancashire. With five chapters already running, and making national news, we have a waiting list in certain professions, and also a lot of people who love the approach, but who cannot commit to the regular early mornings due, for instance, to childcare commitments.
“That’s why we launched this new group which will be the first brunch-time meeting in Lancashire. Meeting on a Friday, the aim is still to have minimal impact on members’ standard working weeks but still to have all the same benefits.
“As a start-up group, we have a whole load of popular slots open, so would welcome anyone who is either just interested in BNI or who has been unable previously to join due to the early hours, or because their slot is filled in other groups, to get in touch and come along as a visitor.”
