Bridge Club was established in 2000 to ‘bridge the gap’ between early-stage entrepreneurs seeking connections to the money, management, skills and markets they need to grow their businesses. As the business developed it worked with universities nationally to encourage graduate businesses to link with regional employers, professionals, and finance providers. It incorporated the same approach to make school children and students at college and university ready for the world of work, enterprise and entrepreneurship. Some projects Bridge Club initiated, relevant to this tender are; Giant Minds, a creative-education programme which was taken up by northeast schools keen to improve visibility to the regional universities and the employer base. Enterprise Evolution, a work-shadowing programme that matched university students with the regional employer base. Bridge Club also co-founded a daughter company, First face to face ltd (trading as FIRST), an accredited learning and development agency that is now run independently. During this latter period Bridge Club continues operations as a small consultancy.