A DATING company in North Yorkshire has become so successful it has taken on another member of staff.

The Introduction Company, run by Lesley Brewer in Brawby, near Malton, has taken on Catherine Lee to cope with growing demand.

It follows the successful launch of a series of exclusive events dedicated to those looking for love.

Among these are meet-and-greet events in association with Hotel du Vin held in York in November. The first event was oversubscribed, with more than 50 people attending and the same number on the waiting list.

Now Lesley is scheduling the events on a monthly basis in York, with plans to hold more in Leeds and Newcastle in the coming months.

Catherine will be Lesley’s personal assistant, managing administrative duties on the evening of the event, and will work alongside Lesley at each event to allow her to meet her clients and potential clients.

Each meet-and-greet event will cater for about 50 people, both members and non-members of The Introduction Company, and is by invitation.

The events will offer the opportunity to meet new people and find out more about how the company operates.

Anyone joining on the night will also be eligible for a discount on the joining fee.

In 2008, Lesley invested more than £5,000 in a new business image – including a new logo, website and marketing materials to re-launch to cope with a growing nationwide demand.

The Introduction Company was launched in January 2006 and was aimed at people living in rural areas of Yorkshire. Since then, however, the business has grown more rapidly than anticipated and demand for specialist events is higher than ever.

The Introduction Company now has more than 400 members who, although predominantly based throughout Yorkshire, come from all over the UK as well as France and Canada. Membership has increased by around 25 per cent compared with this time last year, mainly thanks to the launch of the events.

Lesley said: “My intention for 2009 is to hold monthly meet-and-greet events in York and then in Newcastle and Leeds. These events will always be exclusive and by invitation only but already, after just one event, I am seeing a major growth in demand.”