Wigan, UK. February 27th, 2026 – A Wigan-based tender support specialist has announced its sponsorship of the Wigan Business Expo, a renowned business networking event open to all businesses in the region.
The free-to-attend event, running from 9am to 2pm, will bring together businesses from across the borough for a day of networking, workshops, and expert-led talks, designed to support business growth.
JGP Consultancy, which has supported businesses nationally and internationally since 2014, says its involvement this year reflects ambitions to give back more to the local community. The Wigan-based tender support specialists support businesses at every stage of a tender application, from sourcing open applications to writing the final submission – and are excited to support the event.
Managing Director Kathryn Pearson says the decision was prompted by a simple but important conversation.
“We’ve always been led by our clients, and that’s taken us across the UK, Europe and further afield,” she says. “But at a recent family meal someone asked why we weren’t doing more in Wigan. We’re a family business, most of our family live locally, and there wasn’t a strong reason not to focus more on our hometown.”
“We will continue working nationally and internationally, but there is now a real focus on helping businesses closer to home accelerate their growth, particularly in the public sector. Sponsoring the Expo felt like a natural place to start.”
“Not every business has the time or resources to attend large national events,” she says. “A strong local Expo gives companies the chance to learn, ask questions, and meet potential partners right on their doorstep. That strengthens the whole community and makes real differences to local businesses.”
On the day, JGP Consultancy will be exhibiting as well as sponsoring, offering guidance to businesses interested in exploring public sector opportunities. Public sector contracts represent a significant share of UK spending, yet many smaller organisations assume tendering is too complex or not suited to them.
Kathryn says the team wants to change that perception.
“We want people to feel comfortable starting the conversation,” she says. “If a business is not sure whether they can or should tender, we can usually give them clarity within five minutes. If they know they should be tendering but have not had success, we can show them a clear pathway forward. And if they already tender but find it time consuming and difficult, we can take that pressure off.”
As part of their involvement in the event, JGP Consultancy will also be delivering a workshop, targeted at SMEs and service providers who want to unlock new revenue streams but may have previously found tendering intimidating.
The 30 minute session will take place at 11:30 am, and attendees will be able to understand how to find, prepare for and win public sector contracts.
For Kathryn and the JGP Consultancy team, the workshop is just one part of a much bigger picture. The real value of the Expo, she says, is the opportunity it creates for the local business community to come together, share knowledge and support one another.
“Strong local economies are built when businesses support each other,” she says. “If this event helps companies make new connections, discover new opportunities or simply feel more supported, then it is doing exactly what it is meant to do.”
Wigan Business Expo takes place at The Edge Arena on Thursday 12th March from 9am to 2pm and is free for visitors to attend.
ENDS