The future of the Paraplanners Powwow has been secured, with a package of new initiatives announced for 2017.

Paraplanners are to get new professional development events providing CPD as part of plans to not only keep the movement going, but to expand it.

Founder Richard Allum CFPTM Chartered MCSI revealed in September that he was stepping down from his front line role. He asked Paraplanners whether the national event should continue in its current form.

Talking to Financial Planning Today, he revealed there had been overwhelming backing to keep it going.

Now, a raft of plans to upgrade it have been drawn up.

These include:

- New Powwow professional development events giving ‘relevant, decent’ CPD to Paraplanners. These are designed to be specifically focused, each one, on a particular technical subject.
- New bespoke Powwows put on for businesses that are supporting the movement - such as Aegon and James Hay – organised by the Powwow team.
- Six mini regional Powwows including three new ones
- More Howwows
- A new events coordinator to be appointed to take on the work done by Mr Allum

Mr Allum, a Chartered Wealth Manager, said: “The new professional development events are designed to give CPD to participants but we haven't got accreditation from the professional bodies, yet.”

Some of these will take place online and some in person.

On the Powwows for firms, he said: “Some supporters from previous years have asked us to put on specific events for them – bespoke powwows organised by us, run by us, but in conjunction with them.

“The Powwow team has become very good at organising and promoting events that are unique in style and content and appeal to the Paraplanning community. In 2017, supporters Aegon and James Hay are working with Powwow to put on their own dedicated events.

“The Powwow team will also be working with other companies to help arrange their own Paraplanner focused events and any revenue generated will be invested into further Powwows.”

He said that Paraplanners had given a clear view when the Powwow’s future was opened to discussion.

He said: “The overwhelming response was ‘don’t stop, we love it!’. It’s unique in what it does, it’s by Paraplanners for Paraplanners, with no external influence.

“I’m excited, it’s going to be bigger and better than ever next year. In fact, I think it's going to be the biggest year for it yet.”

He confirmed the national Powwow will take place on 14 September. Organisers are asking for volunteers to form an “inner tepee”, a group that will decide on the content.

About 700 people have come through the various Powwow events so far and Mr Allum hopes to boost that number further this year.