Byte Night is the IT industry's annual sleep out in support of Action for Children. Each year hundreds of individuals and teams from the technology and IT industries spend a night exposed to the elements in a bid to raise sponsorship and awareness of Action for Children's work.

Northern Construction Solutions have relocated from Sunderland to Lumley Court in Chester-le-Street in order to provide more space for the growing workforce. The business, which was set up by directors Sean Anderson and Dave Gardner in 2002, had a turnover of £6m at the end of March and is likely to exceed £8m by the end of the year. The directors are confident that the company will be turning over £20m within the next 5 years. They currently employ 45 people, an increase of 60% over the last year.

As part of an ongoing initiative to help tourism businesses in North East England, leadership development companies Ellmac and KSA Partnerships have been demonstrating a 'People and Performance Model' to help businesses better serve their visitors.

The privately owned company was set up in 2004 by four former SAP consultants, including Calum Bennett and Stephen Lee, who are both from the North East. Smiths works with clients including brewers Marston's and telecoms company T-Mobile.

Georgina Scott's Wool Shop is located in the InShops in Jarrow and sells yarns, patterns, needles and hooks for knitting and crochet. Alongside this it also stocks a range of haberdashery supplies, embroidery cotton, knits and hand crocheted baby wear that are available to buy, or can be made to order.

A 'debt tracker' survey conducted by YouGov, in consultation with R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, found that 21% of regional households are finding it hard to cope with the implications of the Credit Crunch, a figure roughly in line with the national average.

In response to Recommendation 62 of The Fraud Review published in July 2006, the Attorney General appointed a working group to devise a plea negotiation framework for fraud cases. The fundamental proposal is that the parties conduct confidential negotiations and make a written agreement which includes a guilty plea, agreed facts and a recommended sentence which they will submit to the court.

Talent retention and attraction will be the hot topic at Durham Business School's latest Corporate Forum event which takes place next Thursday 2 October.

The cat, Ivano, was discovered by wife Laura Marchesi the next morning shivering with cold and hunger after trying in vain all night to re-enter the apartment.