A BUSINESSWOMAN from Darlington was among a delegation invited to 10 Downing Street to discuss the challenges and opportunities women face running their own businesses.

Caroline Bell, from Acorn Dairy, joined other members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who met senior advisors from Prime Minister David Cameron’s team looking to see how the Government could encourage more women to set up and grow their own businesses.

She said: "I was delighted to be given the chance to express my views directly at 10 Downing Street.

"It’s important that every government department, public agency, local authority and LEP understands what needs to be done to boost female entrepreneurship, from helping them to bid for contracts to tailored business support."

The delegation discussed the need for a greater range of female small business role models and mentors, easier access to alternative finance, and more tailored business support focused on the specific challenges women face.

Another issue highlighted was around building confidence and peer support. Together with improvements in education, this would see a cultural shift to encourage more women to set themselves up in business.

FSB will explore these issues in more depth in new research into women in business to be launched next year.

Government research shows that currently one in five small- or medium-sized businesses are majority women-led. However FSB research has shown increasing numbers of small firms established recently in retail, hotels, catering and leisure are owned primarily by women.

FSB is working with the Government to make sure female entrepreneurs’ voices are heard and they are supported when looking to start or grow a business.

Gudrun Lauret, from FSB Women North East, said: "Understanding the importance of diversity and getting more women into business is critical for a dynamic and vibrant small business sector.

"Women-led smaller businesses already contribute over £75bn to the UK economy. If women were to set up businesses and grow them at the same rate as men, we would see a huge boost to growth and prosperity in this country."