A COUPLE from Monkton Farleigh have launched a new website service for freelancers with the added attraction that it is free to sign up and free to use.

Find a Creative Pro, conceived by Helen and Richard Forsyth, is now live and attracting talented people who are freelancing, from locations around the world.

"It is a great feeling to know we have this site up and running and we hope it helps freelancers get noticed," said Mr Forsyth.

“We have been thinking of starting this service for years as it would obviously benefit freelancers and also businesses that increasingly rely on them.

"This site can take away some of the time spent on getting your skills in front of the right people.

“We are both creative freelancers. I am involved in writing and PR and Helen is a marketing and business consultant.

"Being a freelancer means running a small business and half of the job is pitching and getting to connect to new clients."

According to the couple, websites that have databases of freelancers often charge a standard fee for joining or have a bidding process, which drives the payment down.

Some put the emphasis on the businesses looking to hire, making them pay a fee. With Find a Creative Pro however, writers, designers and anyone freelancing in the creative industry can join for free.

Businesses can also look for new talent for free just by registering. In addition, there is a jobs board for anyone searching for more permanent work.

Mrs Forsyth said: “Freelancers have told us all along that they were always being charged heavily for promotion and they also had the significant expense of promoting themselves with their own website. We have two main options where you can pay nothing and join for free or build a larger profile for a small annual fee that is not unlike a mini website – displaying projects and clients worked with.”

Self-employment in the creative sector is a growing trend, so the couple hope the website will provide a platform for those independent workers who need to reach out to businesses to gain new contacts and to get commissioned for project work.

For more information visit www.findacreativepro.com