A KEIGHLEY events company has received funding of more than £16,000 from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

The cash was to help Simply Better Events train staff and grow the business through skills development.

The company, which currently employs 17 people, has recently won a string of new high-profile contracts.

And it aims to more than triple its turnover.

Simply Better Events approached the LEP for support from the organisation's skills service.

The firm also invested over £17,000 of its own funds to provide wide-ranging training to employees.

Already, the training has resulted in improved sales levels and increased clients.

Rob Woodhead, managing director of Simply Better Events, said: "The LEP funding has been incredibly helpful to us and I would highly recommend any business owner to utilise this avenue, that is readily available.

"The skills service has been extremely beneficial and everyone who has helped out has had a genuine desire to empower and upskill our team and drive the business forward.

"We're now in a strong position to grow the company and target the much bigger contracts."

Stephanie Burras, chairman of the LEP's employment and skills panel, said she was delighted the funding had proved so beneficial.

"The company has taken advantage of the funds available with a huge variety of different training aspects," she added.

Any firms interested in applying for funding should visit the-lep.com/skillsservice, e-mail skills@the-lep.com or call 0113 386 1910.

The deadline for applications is March 31 next year.