Firms around Malmesbury have been boosted by the launch of a new business club.

Last month the first meeting of the North Wiltshire Business Club took place at the Rose and Crown pub in Lea.

Organiser Sarah Coutts said: “We knew the Wilts Business Club format works well for smaller businesses because the one based in Devizes is so successful.”

The evening gave business people the opportunity to network followed by the chance to briefly present their own business and then have three ten-minute one-to-one sessions with other people at the meeting.

Co-organiser Hester Witt said: “The atmosphere was friendly with everyone being very open to meeting new business people.”

Meetings take place on the third Wednesday of each month at the Rose and Crown from 6pm.

Another group offering support to small businesses is the Malmesbury branch of 1230 The Women’s Company which is celebrating its first birthday after being launched last July by local human resources consultant Alex Morgan.

She said: “Malmesbury has a great business community. It’s great to be able to enable local businesswomen to forge links with one another.”

1230 The Women’s Company meets at 12.30pm on the first Thursday of the month at the Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury.