Liverpool-based female enterprise agency The Women’s Organisation is to host a live broadcast of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

The popular magazine programme – with more than three million listeners – will come live from the Women’s International Centre for Economic Development on Monday, 12th March, hosted by Liverpool-born presenter Jane Garvey.

The special programme, being broadcast during the city’s hosting of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, will focus on female entrepreneurship.

An expert panel of prominent businesswomen will answer questions from a 150-strong audience on topics including setting up and running a business – from raising finance and developing overseas markets to combining work with family.

Maggie O’Carroll, chief executive of The Women’s Organisation, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that BBC’s Woman’s Hour has chosen to broadcast a programme from our international centre, particularly with all eyes on Liverpool as the city hosts the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

“Our centre is the only one of its kind in the UK, focusing on female enterprise, providing a hub for female entrepreneurs and housing an international research centre. We really look forward to welcoming the Woman’s Hour team and audience members here during what will be a very exciting week.”

Jane Garvey, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, said: “When we learned about the Women’s International Centre for Economic Development we were very impressed and it seemed the obvious choice when selecting a venue to broadcast a live programme during Global Entrepreneurship Week. I am really looking forward to coming to Liverpool as it the city where I was born and bred.”

Working with partners Liverpool Vision and the Kauffman Foundation, the Women’s Organisation will host a series of events as part of the GEC’s week-long festival of enterprise.

These include a global research symposium, a female business mastermind and a female entrepreneurship international policy roundtable. Liverpool is the first city in Europe to host the international event, which starts on March 9.

Situated in the Baltic Triangle area of the city, the £5.3m Women’s International Centre for Economic Development provides a range of services focused on women’s start-up businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises.

As well as an international research and knowledge centre, the building also provides ‘incubation’ units for new and high growth women enterprises. The units are proving popular with more and more female entrepreneurs choosing to run their businesses from the centre.

BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour will be broadcast from The Women’s Organisation between 10am-10.45am on Monday, 12th March. To apply for free tickets go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/womans-hour/

To find out more about the free services available from The Women’s Organisation, including advice and support on starting a business, call 0151 706 8111.

Alternatively please email info@thewo.org.uk or visit www.thewomensorganisation.org.uk