Dorset MPs support Dormen
Briefing meetings have recently been held with two Dorset MPs – Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, and Bob Walter, MP for North Dorset – to update them on how Dormen is supporting local businesses.
They heard about the programme from Kevin Poulton, East Dorset District Council’s Economic Generation Manager, Camilla Trimble, who runs Nazareth Lodge in Sturminster Newton and is a volunteer business mentor, and Vivian Dunn, Dormen’s Programme Manager. Both were very interested in Dormen and particularly the way in which it enables experienced business people to volunteer to act as mentors and share their skills and knowledge with other businesses.
After the meeting Bob Walter MP said: “This is a really challenging time for business across the board and I think it’s vital that we all do what we can to ensure companies are aware of this type of support, which is available to them free of charge. Mentoring is a valuable tool that’s shown itself to be highly effective in both the public and private sectors, and I know that in the 3 years its been running DORMEN has already proven its worth. The team are currently in the process of working with 139 businesses and I have no doubt that they will help many more consolidate or grow in the years ahead.”
He added: “There is a great deal of untapped business expertise out there and this scheme draws on that valuable and willing resource. I sincerely hope that, by highlighting this meeting, we encourage many more volunteers to come forward for mentor selection and training. As Camilla Trimble said, it’s about ‘Dorset people helping Dorset businesses’ and in my view demonstrates the benefits of using local knowledge to help the local economy.”
Vivian Dunn, Annette Brooke MP and Camilla Trimble
Camilla Trimble, Bob Walter MP and Vivian Dunn
