A NORTH East company dedicated to supporting women in business has officially partnered up with the region’s leading business membership organisation.

Women into the Network (WIN), which supports and promotes women’s enterprise, has joined forces with the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC).

NECC will now pick up the women’s agenda, which will be represented Nickie Gott, founder of events management company She’s Gott It! and newly-appointed NECC council member.

As a result, WIN will no longer continue in its current format by including membership, but will provide women in business with greater opportunities for networking.

Gott will chair and receive the support of an NECC advisory group, which will head the organisation of new monthly informal networking events for businesswomen, named Coffee Connections.

She said: “WIN is evolving just like our customers, and therefore the board and I strongly believe that handing over to NECC is a fantastic step forward for the women’s business agenda in the North East.

“By joining with NECC, we will ensure a much more integrated approach and create a stronger voice for the region’s women in business.”

NECC chief executive James Ramsbotham, said: “We are really excited to be picking up the mantle from WIN.

“By working with Nickie it is NECC’s aim to pick up the agenda for women entrepreneurs in the region and support them to add to their already very valuable contribution to our business community.

“Ultimately, NECC wants to make the North East a success and we feel that working closely with WIN will help us to continue to achieve this aim.”

Tickets are now on sale for WIN’s North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards ceremony.

For more information, visit: www.necc.co.uk/womeninbusiness