AN INITIATIVE to bring East Lancashire bosses together has generated more than £4 million worth of business in the area this year.

Business brains have met, swapped ideas and generated leads during a series of networking meetings organised every other month by the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

The final event of the year will be held tomorrow at Mytton Fold Hotel, Langho, near Blackburn, but the scheme has been so successful it will continue next year and be opened up to all company directors.

Kathryn Czaja, director of the Chamber's commercial team, said: "The networking events started this year and they have been hugely successful.

"We always get feedback after the meetings on whether people picked up useful contacts and whether any business leads were successful.

"And from that we've calculated just how much business has been generated between firms in East Lancashire."

The commercial team offers businesses advice on how to increase sales and cut costs.

Tony Raynor, managing director of Blackburn-based telephone systems supplier and installer Abbey Telecom said: "The commercial group adds more value than it costs to East Lancashire businesses."

The firm has benefited from more than £30,000 of orders through various events.

The event at Mytton Fold will see the launch of a new service for companies, Chamber Motivational Training which will show bosses how to motivate their staff.

A cheque for £5,000, raised during a dinner with snooker star John Virgo last month, will be presented to East Lancashire Hospice chairman Geoff Braithwaite during the meeting as part of the Chamber's Candles of Light fund for the hospice.