A SERIES of workshops designed to help North-East businesses through the economic downturn are being held this month.

The Keep Your Business Fighting Fit events, run by Business Link, will provide practical advice and assistance on what it takes for firms to survive and thrive, and will address a range of relevant topics including managing cashflow, legal issues and redundancies, and negotiating with banks and raising finance.

Workshops for County Durham and Tees Valley firms are being held throughout this month: on Tuesday, from 1.30pm, at Sedgefield Racecourse, Wednesday, at Hardwick Hall Hotel, from 9.30am, and Thursday, June 25, at Redworth Hall Hotel, from 1.30pm.

The workshop at Sedgefield Racecourse will be focusing on harnessing talent and optimising people performance.

It will be led by Hamish Moore, who is the senior partner at North-East based human resources specialist Drummond.

The events at Hardwick Hall and Redworth Hall will cover marketing and will be chaired by sales and marketing expert Piero Alberici, who has 20 years of international business experience.

Alastair MacColl, chief executive of Business and Enterprise North-East, which delivers the Business Link service in the region, said: “North-East England is well served with a very effective range of support services for businesses, but at Business Link we are always exploring new ways in which we can do more.

“The Keep Your Business Fighting Fit workshops have been developed to provide advice and assistance that is practical, topical and relevant to businesses from all sectors and of all sizes.”

Full details of forthcoming Keep Your Business Fighting Fit workshops can be found on eventsnortheast.co.uk or by calling 0191-281-5777.

All events are free to attend, but places must be booked in advance.