Carlisle Library will host a series of Google Digital Garage events aimed at small businesses and sole traders who want to raise their profile online. The sessions feature a package of online learning to help businesses improve their digital capacity.

Local companies have volunteered their services to help National Grid deliver a vital project to connect a proposed nuclear power station at Moorside. A total of 21 companies in the area applied to be part of the project’s supply chain during a recent consultation on the North West Coast Connections project. National Grid is encouraging other local firms to express their interest so economic benefits to the area are maximised.

The company is hoping to begin construction on the project in 2019, subject to consent being granted to carry out the work. Project Manager Robert Powell said: “From the start of our project we’ve worked closely with local communities and it’s great that we can now offer local businesses the chance to get involved. “If consent is granted to build the connection, the project will create jobs during the construction phase, and we would like local people to fill a significant number of these. “We’re very pleased to have seen this much interest at so far, but we still want more and more local companies to register on our website so the local economy benefits as much as possible.”

Any local business interested in working on the project can register their details here.

Changes to Sellafield's Complete Tender Management (CTM) System which advertises contracts in the Nuclear Desommissioning Authority's estate will make sub-contracting opportunities much easier to view. Almost 30 categories have joined the initiative aimed at smaller suppliers.

Businesses interested in viewing the sub-contract opportunities will need to register on CTM to view details of available contracts, relevant buyer contact details and will then be directed to the relevant location for completing paperwork to pre-qualify. Click here for more information.