BUSINESS support organisation NWES has added its support to the 2012 Suffolk Business Exhibition.

NWES is sponsoring the Business Start Up area at the event, which is organised by the Ipswich and Suffolk Small Business Association (ISSBA) in partnership with Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and is being held at Trinity Park, Ipswich, on Wednesday, May 1.

Kevin Horne, chief executive of NWES, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this year’s event. We have been encouraging enterprise and helping to support business start-ups for over 30 years.

“To be part of the Suffolk Business Exhibition and in particular be the sponsor of the Business Start Up area fits perfectly into our mission to ‘encourage enterprise’.

“Over the last five years we have helped over 2,500 new businesses to start trading. We are keen to see even more people to set up their own business, in a sustainable way.

“With our support, it has been proven that businesses survive longer, grow faster and are more profitable. This sponsorship agreement also fits perfectly with our other business sponsorships which includes the Future50 and the EADT Business Awards,” he added.

Roger Barcham, chairman of ISSBA, said: “We are delighted that NWES have agreed to sponsor the Business Start Up area. This area has always been important as it allows new businesses to promote themselves to a wider audience at a relatively low cost.

“It also gives them the opportunity to be part of a large business-to-business event, to showcase their business and gain important business contacts.”

NWES will also be hosting a series of workshops at the exhibition, details of which can be found at www.issba.co.uk.

Start-up business advisers will also be available to give informal advice at the NWES stands.

The exhibition will be open from 11am to 7pm, with admission open to all and free of charge. A limited amount of stand space remains available, details of which are also available at the ISSBA website.