A Case Study in Business Growth and Collaboration Across Lancashire
Background
When the Boost Flying Start programme came to an end, many of the businesses involved told us they did not want the connections to stop there. They valued the relationships they had built and wanted a regular space to continue those conversations. In response, Community CVS Blackburn launched the Community CVS Business Network.
The aim was simple. Create a welcoming, well facilitated space where Lancashire businesses could meet, talk openly and find practical ways to support one another’s growth.
How the Network Works
The Network meets regularly and typically brings together 15- 20 businesses at each session. Those in the room range from new start ups to established SMEs, alongside representatives from local economic development teams and business support organisations. That mix is one of its real strengths. In the last 6 months almost a hundred attendees have collaborated and connected over coffee at the regular event.
Each session includes a guest speaker, but we avoid formal slide decks. Instead, speakers share their experience and then open the floor for discussion. This keeps the atmosphere relaxed and encourages genuine conversation rather than passive listening.
The most valuable part of each session is the discussion that follows. Businesses introduce themselves, talk about current challenges and opportunities, and often find immediate points of connection. It is common to hear someone say, “I can introduce you to someone who can help with that,” or to see two businesses arranging a follow up meeting before they leave the room.
Impact on Businesses
Over time, the Network has become a reliable place for collaboration and trade. Businesses use it to raise their profile, but more importantly to build trusted relationships. Several attendees have reported new client leads, partnership opportunities and joint working emerging directly from conversations at the Network.
For newer entrepreneurs, the benefit is often peer learning, confidence and clarity. They are able to ask questions in a supportive setting and learn from people who have faced similar challenges. For more established businesses, it offers access to fresh ideas, potential collaborators and insight into what is happening across the local enterprise landscape.
Community CVS Chartered Business Advisors attend each session, which means practical advice is always on hand if needed. Attendees are also signposted to Boost Lancashire and other relevant support where appropriate, helping businesses connect to the wider support available in the county.
Wider Engagement
The Network has hosted guest contributors including NHS, Burnley Leisure & Culture, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust and Newground Together. Their involvement has given attendees useful insight into partnership working, community investment and routes into larger contracts.
The Community CVS Business Network continues to grow as a trusted forum for Lancashire businesses. It is a space where conversations turn into introductions, introductions turn into partnerships, and partnerships lead to growth.
To book your place at the free to attend Community CVS Business Network, please contact Myka: –
Each network runs from 10am to 12 noon in the Conference Room at our Boulevard Centre in Blackburn. The next meeting will take place on Friday 6th March.
