HELP is at hand for market towns in North Yorkshire trying to beat the credit crunch and keep business thriving.

The first North Yorkshire Towns Alive Market Towns seminar, in Thirsk, will look at making small towns more prosperous places - even in the middle of a recession.

The event, on Wednesday, July 1, at the Thirsk community cinema, is a collaboration between North Yorkshire County Council and Action for Market Towns (AMT), a not-for-profit group that advises small towns and local authorities on the economic challenges they face.

One of the workshops on offer is a session on benchmarking, a process that measures how a town is faring in a number of key areas, producing data that can then be used to shore up support in weak or failing areas.

Katie Fewings, project co-ordinator for AMT, said: "This is about supporting small market towns and helping them to be vibrant places to live and work.

"Too often the people who are working to support the towns are doing it on a voluntary basis and we want to help make sure they’re not wasting their time."

The event will finish with the Yorkshire & Humber Market Town Awards 2009, which has had a record number of entrants from small towns and community projects that are thriving, despite the economic downturn.

The day runs from 10.30am to 4.30pm and includes lunch and refreshments.

Tickets cost £15 for AMT members, £25 for North Yorkshire attendees and £35 for visitors from outside the county.

For more information, or to book a place at the seminar, call Steve Leatherbarrow at North Yorkshire County Council, on 01609 532223.