A NEW business group kicked off their first meeting with dozens of people enjoying breakfast at a town pub.

Just Networking Romsey hosted their event last week at The Cromwell Arms, Mainstone, where 22 businesses attended.

Romsey Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Burnage, welcomed the visitors and wished the new group every success, adding she admired their aim to support enterprise in the town and community.

Local businessman and founding group chair, Mike Cross, said: “The three businesses which have come together to form Just Networking Romsey are based locally and we’d all describe ourselves as Romsey people. "As such, our interests stretch further than just business as we all support various voluntary activities within our community. "It was this conviction, that business and community can work together, which inspired us.”

Founding member and speaker coordinator, Claire Sutton, added: “We want to use our skills and our networks to not only do better business with each other but give a platform to community groups too. As the group develops, we plan to engage not only business speakers from whom we can learn but also speakers from around Romsey with interesting local services too.”

The group’s membership secretary, Kerry Daley, said: “Initially, as the group becomes established, we are advertising our fortnightly meeting dates on Eventbrite. People are very welcome to come along and try us out – but they do need to place their breakfast order in advance! As people choose to join the Group, there will simply be a monthly membership fee of £24. There is no joining fee as we wanted to appeal to the widest possible range of organisations.”

The next Just Networking Romsey meeting will be held on Thursday, March 19.

Bookings must be placed via Eventbrite by Monday, March 16.

For more information or to offer your organisation as a speaker at a future meeting, please visit the website at www.justnetworkingromsey.org or email jnr@justnetworkingromsey.org