A Barnsley creative agency is kicking off its 25^th year in business by expanding its team and giving itself a new look.   

Ledgard Jepson specialises in branding, marketing and digital services and has worked with high-profile clients across the UK and abroad.

The company has taken on three new staff members with the help of experts from business support organisation Enterprising Barnsley and now plans to recruit a fourth. It is also overhauling its website and branding.

Managing director David Exley said: "As a company in the creative and digital sector, we're extremely proud to be marking 25 years in operation.

"Central to our approach has always been the belief that branding and marketing is not just about clever graphics and pretty pictures, but also about working with our clients to generate more business."

The company was launched in Penistone by designers Bryan Ledgard and the late Ray Jepson.  David joined the business as a junior designer in 1989. 

David and co-director Dan Morris, a web programmer, eventually took over and moved the firm to its current base at Maple Park, Tankersley. 

Ledgard Jepson's client list includes Government departments, English Heritage, UK Coal and the Council for British Archaeology and the company has commercial clients in Egypt and Qatar.

Closer to home, it undertakes campaigns for Sheffield shopping centre Meadowhall and has also rebranded neighbouring firm MAM Software.

New recruits Liam Atkinson and Dan Clarkson, both junior designers, along with project manager Christina Harrison, bring the Ledgard Jepson team up to 14 with plans to also shortly take on an additional art worker. 

The recruitment followed one-to-one business advice for David and specialist accountancy coaching for the company, both received through the Enterprising Barnsley programme.

David said: "Enterprising Barnsley gave me a chance to talk through my role as managing director and think about the focus of the business going forward.

"The accountancy support has also made a real difference. We can now forecast our cash flow and we're much more in charge of our finances.

"It's really great that we have a support programme such as this here in Barnsley, both offering help at the right level as well as connecting businesses."

As to aims for 2013, David added: "We have a great infrastructure to build on and would like to increase our client base further.  It's going to be a good year."

For more information about Ledgard Jepson email david.exley@ledgardjepson.com or call 01226 732100.

Enterprising Barnsley aims to help Barnsley-based businesses develop and expand - generating economic growth and creating new jobs.

Phase one of the programme supported the creation of 630 new jobs between 2009 and 2012. Since the second phase was launched in April 2012, it has helped create 161 jobs.

Enterprising Barnsley is supported financially by the European Union. The project has attracted £2,259,511 investment into Barnsley from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Europe's support for the region's economic development, through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Attached picture shows managing director of Ledgard Jepson David Exley.

For any further information about Ledgard Jepson, contact David on david.exley@ledgardjepson.com, or ring 01226 732100 or 07770 553533.

The Enterprising Barnsley programme is a partnership between Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) and Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC). It is part financed by the Yorkshire and Humber European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf

or more information about Enterprising Barnsley go to www.enterprisingbarnsley.co.uk or contact Martin Beasley on 01226 772648 or at martinbeasley@barnsley.gov.uk