A quintet of business people, with a combined experience of more than 120 years, have launched an initiative to provide ongoing support for enterprise in Skipton, Craven and North Yorkshire..

In what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind in England, five local business ‘dragons’ have joined forces to give their time and expertise to local businesses in need of advice through an online ‘den’, the Skipton and Ripon Enterprise Group They have used their connections to recruit more than 20 mentors who will offer a helping hand to other entrepreneurs.

The new website, SkiptonandRipon EnterpriseGroup.co.uk, and the new business mentoring services was unveiled at Utopia in Broughton Hall, Skipton by the five founders.

The new initiative is chaired by Alan Halsall, owner and chairman of Silver Cross Prams.

He is supported by Jim Bedford, chairman of Wath Group, Alex Robinson, a commercial director at Skipton Building Society, Natasha Price, marketing partner for business advisers EuraAuditUK and Roger Tempest, owner of Broughton Hall and founder of the award winning business park on the estate.

The new scheme will enable local business owners and people thinking of setting up a business based in the Skipton and Ripon constituency, to register on the SREG website to apply for an individual mentor to help deal with business issues and provide coaching.

Mr Halsall said: “Small and medium sized businesses are the life blood of Yorkshire. They bring with them thousands of jobs, contribute hundreds of thousands of pounds to our local economy and show true entrepreneurial grit and determination.

“But this can be a David and Goliath battle when problems arise and they don’t know how best to respond.

“Yorkshire is full of hard working, talented people battling to start new ventures or make existing ones succeed, and SREG is made up of people who have done just that.

“I, my co-founders and the mentors are doing this to give something back to the area.”