COMPANIES from across the Tees Valley will gather at an event on Friday to celebrate receiving Investors in People awards.

The event, being organised by the Gold Club, a group of volunteers who support Investors in People companies in the region, will take place at the Thistle Hotel, in Middlesbrough, from 6pm.

The Investors in People award is a national standard that sets a level of good practice for improving an organisation's performance through its people.

Dozens of companies throughout the Tees Valley have attained the standard in the past year, and their achievements will be celebrated at the event.

Bells Stores, the Teesside chain of shops bought by Sainsbury's in 2004, has received the Investors in People award several times.

Sheila Gibbon, training manager at Bells Stores and a former Woman of Achievement in the Women in Business awards, will give a motivational speech at Friday's event, which is supported by Business Link and Assessment North-East, which assesses the awards, and partly sponsored by The Northern Echo.

Award winners will have their photographs taken between 6pm and 7pm. The dinner is scheduled to start at 7pm.

Through subsidised training events and seminars, the Gold Club helps IiP companies and those who are hoping to gain the IiP standard.

The group membership consists of representatives from local government, education, and private sector companies and it meets regularly to look at ways of promoting IiP.

To attend Friday's event, contact Gill Brown, at Assessment North East, on 0191-516 6464.