Intuit is offering help for businesses during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC).

The company will stage a series of government sponsored “financial fitness” workshops in Liverpool on March 12, as part of GEC week.

Intuit, one of the main sponsors of the 2012 GEC, has 300 places to offer for small and early stage businesses that wish to participate in the free workshops.

Three sessions will be hosted throughout the first day of the GEC, and will include advice and training on invoicing and being paid; tracking income and expenses; managing cash flow; and handling VAT and other taxes.

Pernille Bruun-Jensen, Managing Director at Intuit UK, said:

“To ride out the economic downturn, Britain needs its small businesses to become fitter and last the pace. Intuit is helping to deliver on that ambition. Too many businesses run out of cash, manage it badly or just don’t have the time or the skills to help themselves out.

“The Intuit Financial Fitness Workshops will be a serious business work out and we’re thrilled to be in Liverpool in March to play an important role in the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2012.”

To sign up for a session, visit http://intuitfinancialfitness.eventbrite.com.

For more details on GEC 2012, visit www.GEC2012.com.

Jim Lindsay, Managing Director, International Division Mast Group, has discussed his experience with the Gateway to Global Growth (G3) programme.

This G3 initiative was aimed at established exporters, and was a free one-year programme designed to help companies clarify their export strategy and access specialist advice and training.

Mr. Lindsay said: “Mast embarked on the programme in early 2010 which started with a strategic review with our International Trade Adviser. This proved very useful as you get an outside view of the business. In our case it helped focus our minds on where we could find new markets for existing products and where we wanted to target new products. It also involved a training needs analysis for our key export facing personnel.

“All in all G3 proved a great help to our business and was enjoyed by our staff who took part and we achieved much of what we targeted.”

To find out more about the Gateway to Global Growth programme, contact the International Team at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce by emailing export@liverpoolchamber.org.uk or by calling 0151 227 1234.

New figures from the charity Arts & Business show that business investment within arts has dropped in the North West, but charitable giving has grown.

In 2011, business investment fell by 5% to £7.3 million. However, individual giving increased by 8% to £5 million. In addition, trusts and foundations grew by 7% to £8.7 million, and total private investment increased by 3% to just over £21 million.

Claire Barlow-Orton, Regional Manager at Arts & Business North, said: “It is extremely encouraging to see individual giving rising in the region.  This is in line with current trends and investment in this area.    

“However the figures also show a 5% fall in business investment.  Arts & Business is committed to supporting businesses with pioneering ways of working with the sector.”

A Cultural Champions event in Manchester on April 27 will celebrate those who gave to the arts.

For more information, visit http://artsandbusiness.org.uk/.

Chris Sanderson, presenter of Channel 4’s ‘Home of the Future’, will join a team of experts in delivering two briefings for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress’s fringe.

Chris, co-founder of The Future Laboratory, and fellow founder Martin Raymond will deliver their business and consumer briefings for the first time.

They are aimed at those interested in the digital future of business and those who want to understand how customers will behave and what they will need in the future.

Phil Nixon, Agency Director at Think, said: “It’s a great coup to have Chris join us at our Liverpool briefings.

“The Future Laboratory’s insight into the future of how business will develop is completely unique.”

Chris said: “I’m very much looking forward to being part of the GEC 2012 fringe event.

“We’ve spent six months researching and putting together a trends presentation, Future Family, which will look at some of the ideas shown on Home of the Future and assess their impact on business and the future consumer.”

The briefings will be held at Leaf on March 16. For tickets, visit www.thefuturelaboratorygec.com. You can follow @tflgec on Twitter for more on the briefings.

For further details on the GEC 2012, visit www.GEC2012.com.

E.ON is holding a breakfast meeting, with the theme being the power of renewable heat.

Attendees will learn about the latest renewable heat technologies, and how businesses can benefit from free installation.

In relation to the event, E.ON is offering free energy and energy audits. This and ‘Project New Heat’ will also be discussed at the meeting.

The meeting will be held on Thursday March 15 at the Ziba Restaurant, Raquet Club, Liverpool, L3 9AG. It will run from 07.30 to 09.30.

Spaces are limited so to attend, or for more information, email Samantha.j.thompson@eonenergy.com or call 07595 125183.

Nominations are now open for the It’s Our World Merseyside Environment Awards 2012.

The Awards are designed to thank people and organisations who are making a difference to the environment, and encourage them to achieve even more in the future.

They also serve as motivation for other companies to start doing their bit to be green.

There are 12 categories overall. They are: New Environmental Enterprise of the Year; Environmental Business of the Year; Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Innovation & Technology Award; Carbon Champion of the Year; The Mersey Forest Corporate Responsibility Award; Neighbourhood Improvement Project of the Year; Environmental Champion Award; Healthy Environment Award; Environment for Learning Schools Award; Community Project of the Year; Environmental Entrepreneur Award; and Young Environmental Champion Award.

The deadline for entries is Friday March 30 2012.

Nominations can be made by telephoning 0151 472 2570 or by visiting www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/environmentawards.

Alternatively, a PDF of the entry form can be downloaded by clicking here, which should then be completed and posted to Its Our World Merseyside Environment Awards, Events Department, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.

For more information, email events@liverpool.com.

A new online initiative has been launched to educate businesses on how to comply with health and safety law.

‘Health and safety made simple’, developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and three organisations, aims to make life easier for low risk SMEs, and to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in the workplace.

Using a step-by-step process, users will receive guidance on specific topics, assisted by interactive tools. There is also a link to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) where employers can search for extra support.

Judith Hackitt, HSE Chair, said: “‘Health and safety made simple’ explains clearly what the law expects and should give employers the confidence that they are taking the necessary steps to minimise risks to workers and the public.

“We’re confident that what is on offer is easy to use and will bring real benefits.”

For further details, visit www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety.

Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust is holding a fringe event as part of the Global Entrepreneurial Congress being held in Liverpool next month.

Who Cares Wins; the future of technology and innovation in community health services, takes place on Wednesday, March 14 between 7.30am and 10am at The Light, on the first floor of the Royal Liver Building, Liverpool.

Speakers include Bernie Cuthel, chief executive of Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust; Caroline Rand, head of planning, information and technology at the Trust; Dr Richard Pope, consultant and expert in e-consultation and video-based tele-consultation and Carrie Goodbourn, Business Development Director of iNurse and Advanced Health and Care, talking about the mobile patient management system iNurse and its impact at LCH.

The event is free to attend but must be booked in advance via www.eventbrite.co.uk.

The universities of Liverpool and Lancaster, together with Inventya Ltd., have received ERDF funding to establish a Centre for Global Eco-Innovation (CGE).

The over-arching aim of the Centre is to combat climate change and deliver sustainable consumption and production by providing support to regional businesses in developing new products, services and markets.

Working in partnership, NW region SMEs and academic colleagues will project manage a cohort of 50 Eco-Innovation Fellows for three years research and development in areas of mutual interest.  

If you think your business has the potential to benefit from this programme, in return for an annual fee of £4,000, further details can be found at www.cgeinnovation.org where an expression of interest may also be submitted.

It is recommended to act quickly on this opportunity as the Eco-Innovation Fellows will be awarded on a competitive first-come, first-served basis.

Corke Art Gallery are holding a Private View Invitation for its Close Up Far Away exhibition.

The work of Lisa Cole Kronenburg can be purchased prior to general sale.

The Private View Invitation will run from 18.00 to 20.00 on Thursday March 1 at Corke Art Gallery, 296-298 Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 9PW.

The exhibition itself will last until Saturday March 17 2012, with the gallery open at 14.00 until 18.00 from Tuesdays to Fridays, and at 10.00 until 15.00 on Saturdays.

Viewings are available by appointment, which can be arranged by telephoning 07773 287827.

For more information, visit www.corkeartgallery.co.uk.