A pioneering project has helped a North Yorkshire internet solutions company to expand.

An extra member of staff has been taken on by Scarborough-based Wrenn Internet Solutions after guidance from the Support From Assured Professionals project, which is part-funded by Yorkshire Forward from the European Regional Development Fund, managed by York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

Wrenn Internet Solutions, founded in 1997, needed a carefully-managed expansion following the success of its email marketing tool, Mailwriter, launched last autumn, which has created huge interest and has been taken up by organisations including various Business Links and York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. With help from Support From Assured Professionals, which helps locate and part-fund professional legal advice to small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in upland and coastal areas of North Yorkshire, Wrenn has recruited Sarah Gelling, of Scarborough, who joins from a career in marketing and advertising.

As well as using its brokerage service to introduce Hopscotch HR Ltd, Newton on Derwent, to Wrenn Internet Solutions to advise on employment legislation, Support From Assured Professionals also used its funding to cover two-thirds of the fees. Anthony McLachlan, Wrenn managing director, said: "We sought help from Support From Assured Professionals and received professional advice on all aspects on HR planning, including recruitment and employment. It was wonderful to access the right help so easily and cost-effectively just when we needed it."

Karl Elliott, Support From Assured Professionals project manager, said: "Because of the many pressures they face, small rural businesses rarely have the time and budget to identify and afford the high-quality professional advice they need to move their business forward. It was a pleasure to assist Wrenn Internet Solutions. We wish them and Sarah all the best for the future."

Support From Assured Professionals is a two-year project to increase access by small businesses to professional support services covering business operation, legislative issues and statutory obligations.

Updated: 11:01 Wednesday, February 11, 2004