A NEW supremo appointed to help women entrepreneurs set up business in York and North Yorkshire today wasted no time in calling for the co-operation of support providers in the region.

Laura Morrison has been appointed project manager of the Women In Enterprise initiative run by the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and funded by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.

She wants to redress an imbalance in which men are 2.5 times more likely to be directors of York and North Yorkshire companies than women; a region where the brightest of female entrepreneurs feel daunted; where women in the UK represent only 27 per cent of self-employed people.

She said: "There are lots of forms of help available, but for the first time we are in a position to co-ordinate it.

"I will act as a signpost for women to the help that is out there and want existing business support networks and agencies to get in touch with me so that we can work together to help women to identify and overcome any barriers to starting and developing an enterprise."

Already on board are a number of providers and help networks, including Business Link York & North Yorkshire.

"I am hoping to be the first point of contact. Sometimes there's a confidence issue, or the woman is overfaced with facts.

"So I will work with Business Link and other networks to identify their needs, whether it is training, financial steering, legal advice or networking opportunities," said Mrs Morrison.

The appointment is a response to the Department of Trade and Industry's Strategic Framework for Women in Enterprise promoted by Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt, who is also women's minister.

A Women's Enterprise Action Plan drawn up by Yorkshire Forward already identifies main barriers to women as being business support from experts, access to finance, childcare responsibilities and transferring from benefits to business ownership.

The British Chambers of Commerce report into women entrepreneurs states: "Of no less importance is for women to build their confidence about their own skills and about the opportunities around them."

Mrs Morrison is well aware of the pitfalls. She juggled bringing up children with her own ventures - running Ladywell House, a successful bed-and-breakfast in Fife, Scotland, and starting Elm Business Solutions which offered administrative support to spin-offs from the University of York and others.

She and her husband, Geoff, who has a joinery business, live in York. They have two sons, Ben, 19, a soldier serving in Bosnia, and James, aged 15.

Len Cruddas, chief executive of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "We are delighted to welcome Laura to the team to run this exciting new project.

"She will work alongside existing schemes available to women to help raise awareness of the support available and encourage female entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas."

Mrs Morrison can be contacted at the Chamber on 01904 629513 or by e-mail: laura.morrison@ynycc.com

Updated: 09:19 Tuesday, July 27, 2004