A NEW era is about to dawn for East Lancashire's business community.

The East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for a major relaunch in the early Autumn.

In recent years the range of services offered by the chamber to members has increased dramatically and it believes now is the time to raise its profile.

"There has been a tremendous amount of activity within the chamber and we should be making more noise about what we do and how we can help businesses in East Lancashire," Graham Bonfield, vice president, told the audience at a preview of the launch.

A new corporate image and logo has been created for the chamber by Blackburn-based Cicero Design for the official relaunch event, which is expected to be held in September or October with an exhibition of member companies. The chamber, which can trace its roots back to the 1880s, now serves an area with a population of more than 500,000 and 11,000 companies.

It has around 900 members operating from three offices in Clayton-le-Moors, Blackburn and Burnley, offering services including lobbying and training.

Its international trade team helps firms break into export markets with product assessments and specialist sales training and it recently launched its own Export Club.

The chamber also houses the local base for the Regional Supply Network, helping to match firms with opportunities.

A new Discount Club is being launched to offer members savings ranging from raw materials to restaurants.

As well as regular meetings and events, the chamber also has a number of specialist committees.

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