Industry award for TSG: Technology Services Group, in Newcastle, has won an industry award. It was named Exchequer Software's UK Re-seller of the Year at the annual Channel Forum event, in Bournemouth. Exchequer, which is a leading developer of financial software, also made TSG a Platinum Partner. TSG supports customers who use Exchequer's business software, including the British Deaf Association and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. Nationally, TSG employs 380 staff, has an annual turnover of £36m and provides IT services to more than 9,000 small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.

Poverty risk: Women are at a far greater risk than men from poverty, according to a report. A group of leading charities said women were the main managers of family poverty and had to act as "shock absorbers" to shield their children from the worst effects. The Women's Budget Group, which includes Oxfam, Child Poverty Action Group and the Single Parent Action Network, said there were lessons for the Government to learn. Ruth Lister, who co-wrote the report, said: "Their strategy on child poverty needs to address the adequacy of benefit rates received by parents as well as children."