'WHAT Blackburn does today, others follow tomorrow' was the message from the national Business in the Community leader.

Julia Cleverdon told the audience at the second Guardian Angels scheme presentations that it was yet another example of the "doing" culture that exists in the area.

"It is an innovative and ingenious example of using business skill to help the community and of doing things rather than just talking about them," said Ms Cleverdon.

The scheme, which matches young firms in the Blackburn City Challenge area with experienced business managers, was set up two years ago and is now being extended throughout East Lancashire thanks to funding from ELTEC.

So far the initiative, run by Blackburn Partnership, has helped create more than 100 new jobs and the Guardians have donated almost £100,000 worth of management time.

And fast growing Kite Computing, which has expanded from two to 14 employees in two years, and their guardian Simon Watts of Cad-Capture won the 1995/96 award for the most successful marriage under the scheme.

Simon, who has been acting as guardian for the computing software training firm for just over 12 months, said the scheme had been a "very rewarding experience".

"If the lessons I've learned from running my own business can just help these guys steer clear of some of the puddles I've fallen into then that is great," said Simon.

"And it has helped me look at aspects of my own company in a different light."

"The Guardian Angels scheme has been a real help to us.

"In a sense it makes us responsible to someone else and after our monthly meetings with Simon when we talk about out plans for the month then it really gives an incentive to do them before our next meeting," said Chris Whittaker of Kite.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.