CONTINUED strong demand for chocolate in the recession helped Dairy Milk owner Cadbury report improved trading for April and May.

Cadbury yesterday said it remained on track for fullyear sales growth at the lower end of its four to six per cent range, thanks to the stronger early summer performance. Britain’s appetite for chocolate remained resilient, while sales also picked up in other areas, such as North America and Japan, according to the group.

Cadbury said annual results may be held back by “very challenging” conditions across Europe, but it is hoping for better second half sales as it prepares for product launches.

SUCCESSFUL YEAR: Talented accountancy student James Dale has been crowned New Accountant of the Year 2009 at the Nigel Wright North-East Accountancy Awards. It caps a successful year for the 26- year-old from Marske, employed by Anderson Barrowcliff, in Teesside, who came 19th in the world, and number one in the North- East, out of 27,000 students worldwide who sat the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants financial management paper.

LAST CALL: Businesses have a week left to enter the Franchisee of the Year Awards. The awards, which recognise franchises that have thrived despite the economic downturn, offer a first prize of £5,000 and two runner-up prizes of £3,000 and £2,000. Entry forms can be downloaded before the deadline of next Friday, from the members-only section of the British Franchise Association website thebfa.org SALES FALL: There was a worse-than-expected fall in high street retail sales last month, despite City expectations for a rise. Sales volumes declined 0.6 per cent between April and May, the Office for National Statistics said yesterday. And less volatile figures for the three months to May showed sales volumes only 0.6 per cent higher than a year earlier – the lowest growth since December 1995. Household goods were worst hit. In the three months to May they showed a record decline of 7.3 per cent on a year earlier.

PERSONAL IMPACT: Awardwinning documentary company True Vision and BBC1 are making a documentary about the impact of the recession on communities, individuals and businesses in Britain.

They want to hear from anyone who has been made redundant or is having difficulty finding work.

difficulty finding work.

Email emma@truevisionnorth.tv