An all-day business event pitched directly at women is being held in Oxford. The Networking Women Conference will feature a range of seminars and speakers, including Sarah Steel, founder of the Old Station Nursery which was started in Faringdon and now has branches across the country.

It is aimed at women who are looking to start their own business, or those who have set up in business and are looking to develop it further.

Sue Carlisle, co-founder of the event with Lisa Cherry, said: “The whole day will cover every aspect of what you need to do in business from running finances to goal-setting and personal motivation.

“If you need extra information and training in certain areas, then this is the place to find it.”

Ms Carlisle and Ms Cherry run the Networking Women breakfast meetings in Witney, Swindon and Gloucestershire but this is the first time they have hosted an event of this size.

Ms Carlisle added: “There are a lot of women coming into the network who are not sure if they have a good business idea or not. Often it is a fantastic proposal but they just need the confidence to push it through.

“There did not seem to be anything else around which offered a combination of support and personal development which is why we set this up.”

Seminars will include a range of speakers covering topics such as public relations, marketing and brand design.

And advice will be on hand from financial experts from NatWest bank and Harris Lipman accountants while there will also be opportunities to browse through retail stands exhibiting items such as shoes and bags.

The Networking Women Conference takes place on September 15 at the Oxford Centre, 333 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7PL and costs £97.

For more details and booking, call 0844 870 9287 or visit the website www.networkingwomen.org.uk