Fund Launch

Walker,Crips,Weddle,Beck PLC
17 June 2005



                        WALKER, CRIPS, WEDDLE, BECK PLC

                       LAUNCH OF UK GROWTH FUND IN EUROPE

                                                                    17 June 2005

Subject to receiving regulatory approval in the Republic of Ireland, the Walker,
Crips, Weddle, Beck plc ('WCWB') UK Growth Fund management team will be managing
a Dublin based UK Growth Fund to be launched by Collins Stewart Fund Management
Limited ('CSFM') under a new agreement between the two companies.

The agreement will give WCWB access to European markets whilst providing CSFM
with access to one of the UK's leading UK Growth teams. The team, Stephen Bailey
and Jan Luthman, will run the Collins Stewart UK Growth Fund as a mirror fund of
the WCWB UK Growth Fund. From 5 March 2002 to 31 March 2005 the WCWB UK Growth
Fund was ranked 4 out of 271 funds in the IMA UK All Companies sector,
outperforming 98% of all funds in its sector.

Stephen Bailey, investment director of Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck, commented:
'We do not currently have exposure to investors outside the UK and we expect
this venture to support our growth in the UK and contribute to a significant
increase in our funds under management.'


For further information, please contact:

Stephen Bailey - Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck plc     020 7553 9622
Investment director

Paul Hyde - Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck plc          020 7871 2293
Head of sales

Jennie Campbell - Quill Communications               020 7763 6979


Editor's notes

Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck plc

The investment manager, Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck plc ('WCWB') has appointed
Walker, Crips Stockbrokers Limited ('WCS') as the investment adviser. WCS is a
wholly owned subsidiary of WCWB. WCWB was incorporated in 1914 and has a full
listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Since 2002 the fund management team of Stephen Bailey and Jan Luthman have been
managing the CF Walker Crips Growth Fund.



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange