THE region has been chosen to pilot a design service by one of Europe’s largest interiors companies.

Habitat UK will offer in-home interior design consultations from its store in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. To launch the service, residents of the North-East and North Yorkshire are being offered a free in-home visit by the store’s design team. Habitat, which operates 73 stores in four countries, will run the promotion from Saturday until Saturday, July 11.

NEW QUALIFICATIONS: Two financial advisors at Teesside-based Carterbar have passed a qualification that will help them to provide even better pensions advice. Arthur Dornan, a director of the company, and financial planner Suzanne Cox have passed the Pension Funding Options accreditation. It fits in with the aims of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for anyone providing financial advice to have attained the Diploma in Financial Planning by 2012.

BIG TICK: Workwear and workplace safety product supplier Arco has been awarded a Big Tick Award by Business in the Community (BITC) for its supply chain excellence. The Stockton company, a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), was the first and only member of the ETI in its sector and is committed to ensuring its products are sourced in an ethical and safe way.

NEW CONTRACT: Creative agency Different has won a contract to provide design and digital marketing support services to an organisation working in the healthcare and life sciences sector. The Newcastle agency will work with the Centre for Excellence for Life Services (Cels) to provide promotional, design, branding and digital marketing services.

ARMY EXERCISE: Businessmen and women from across the region were put through their paces by the Army on an exercise to teach leadership and teamwork. A total of 85 people from companies, local and health authorities across the North- East and North Yorkshire joined the reserve forces for the 24-hour course in Catterick, North Yorkshire.

The event was designed to help businesses understand the work and importance of reserve forces in the Army.