On the evening of 22 April, local law firm Pellys sponsored the first ever professionally hosted networking dinner for the local business community at the Rhodes Arts Complex in Bishop's Stortford.

The dinner is part of a programme of events organised by Bob Lee of Business Kinetics which promotes the town and the businesses therein under the umbrella title of "The Bishop's Stortford Means Business Initiative". The annual business exhibition will be the next scheduled business opportunity and will take place on 22 October 2008.

Pellys' Managing Partner, Stephen Roche said "We are delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor the event and I predict that it will become a regular fixture on the local business calendar.

We have been in business locally for 38 years and throughout this time we have acted for and been involved with many local businesses and have come to realise the fundamental importance of networking. Simply getting to know people, not only our clients and what makes them and their businesses tick but also their competitors, their advisers and their bankers.

We face the same upturns, downturns and credit crunches as any other business so we understand our clients and the issues they face.

We are very excited about our venture into Cambridge aas it is one of the most dynamic growing business centres in Europe........Our networking has helped us to know that there is a marketplace for our "brand" in Cambridge........that is the value of networking......opening doors..........and seizing opportunities".

The evening itself attracted 130 business people from in and around Bishop's Stortford and was by any standard a great success. Specially chosen "hosts" ensured that the conversation was free flowing and informative at every table. Everyone was encouraged to market their business with a view to referring each other to respective clients in the future. A number of networking dinners are currently being planned. Nick Athorne who facilitated the networking remarked "I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, as it was for me, one of the best NWD events with which I have been associated."