Rhyl Athy Regeneration: Business network development in Rhyl
Erskine was asked to undertake a study which investigates the willingness of the existing business networks in Rhyl to join into one single voice and in a second phase to the contract actually form and develop a network known as the Rhyl Business Group
Rhyl Athy Regeneration is a partnership organisation addressing regeneration issues in Rhyl in North Wales and Athy, County Kildare, Southern Ireland. A project funded from the Ireland / Wales INTERREG IIIA Community Initiative Programme 2000-2006 and Denbighshire County Council.
First stage
Erskine was asked to undertake a study which investigates the willingness of the existing business networks in Rhyl to join into one single voice; investigate where this has been beneficial before; develop a strategy to gain an initial membership and then provide recommendations for on-going membership recruitment and retention. Before our intervention there were are six separate business networks operating in Rhyl.
To complete the project Erskine:
- carried out extensive searches on the existing networks
- refined and added to an existing database held by the Rhyl Athy Regeneration team
- looked at best practice in business networks of this type
- attended meetings to help motivate and inspire the businesses to join existing networks to form a single network
- organised discussion groups using Logo Visual Thinking™
- investigated a possible future structure
- investigated marketing the possible network
- produced a report to use for funding applications and to take the project further
Second stage
Following the report the client was so happy that they asked to:
- recruit members for the new organisation
- form the Rhyl Business Group Community Interest Company
- recruit and develop an executive team to lead the organisation
- with the new members, develop the business plan and vision for the organisation
Following the work, Rhyl Business Group has gone from strength to strength!!
Gareth Wyn Davies: Project Coordinator, Rhyl Athy Regeneration Project‘Erskine Corporation conducted the study, which demonstrated a desire in Rhyl for a united business network, in a clear, timely, and sympathetic manner. More importantly, the enthusiasm and energy shown by Erskine staff contributed to the positive way in which this proposal has been received’.
Project leader
