Tees Business Issue 34 | Page 11

CLOSE TO £ 1M RAISED IN POVERTY FIGHT
NEWS
OPINION
Support – Zoe Lewis and Matt Telling , from sponsors Middlesbrough College Group , with Vicky Thomas ( left ) and Carol Makepeace from Tees Business .

Headline sponsor says Tees Businesswomen Awards celebrate ‘ fantastic role models ’

A source of inspiration ” – that ’ s the Tees Businesswomen Awards , according to headline sponsor Northern Skills Group . Entries are now open for the sixth Tees Businesswomen Awards – the annual celebration of the Tees region ’ s female business leaders and female-led organisations .
Organised by Tees Business , this year ’ s awards will be held in the Grand Marquee , at Hardwick Hall Hotel , on the evening of Thursday , September 28 .
And Zoe Lewis , principal and chief executive of Middlesbrough College Group , which includes Northern Skills Group , urged women to get involved .
“ We ’ re delighted to once again be headline sponsor of the Tees Businesswomen Awards ,” said Zoe .
“ Not only do the awards highlight and celebrate the fantastic achievements of businesswomen across the Tees Valley , but they also act as a source of inspiration

CLOSE TO £ 1M RAISED IN POVERTY FIGHT

County Durham Community Foundation ’ s Poverty Hurts appeal has raised close to £ 1m , which will support community-focused organisations fighting the causes and consequences of poverty in the North-East .
Thanks to the kind donations and support of the people and businesses of the region , the foundation is now distributing an outstanding £ 921,263 to charities , community initiatives and projects that are supporting the people across County Durham facing hardship because of the cost-of-living crisis .
The figure was revealed to Poverty Hurts supporters at a special online event hosted by Chris McDonald , who also launched the appeal back in November alongside the foundation ’ s chief executive , Michelle Cooper MBE . for thousands of young women and girls who are looking to follow in the winners ’ footsteps and make their mark in the business world .
“ Northern Skills Group is all about helping people to achieve their aspirations in whatever field they are passionate about and things like the Tees Businesswomen Awards really help to show how you can excel when you work hard and follow your dreams .
“ I would urge more women to put themselves forward for the awards and for anyone to nominate outstanding businesswomen in their lives so we can shout about their achievements and help to highlight some more fantastic role models .”
The deadline for entries and nominations is July 21 .
See pages 20-21 for more details and how to enter the 2023 Tees Businesswomen Awards .
Attendees also heard from those tackling poverty on the front line thanks to the support from Poverty Hurts , Susan Mansaray , of Purple Rose Stockton CIC , which support refugees and asylum seekers in Stockton , and Gemma O ’ Brien , from Sacriston Youth and Community Project , which is a whole-of-family service .
Challenge – Charity foundation has almost hit its £ 1m target .

Seller beware !

When it comes to property law and property contracts , requesting a deposit is a common occurrence in selling a property . But when is a deposit not just a deposit ?

The deposit acts as security for the seller and is usually part of the overall purchase price .
Typically , a deposit in a property purchase is set at 10 per cent of the purchase price . This deposit is usually paid to the seller upon the exchange of contracts as a partial payment towards the overall price .
It ’ s important to be cautious when requesting a buyer to pay a deposit that exceeds 10 per cent as it may not be legally enforceable . Such a request could be considered a penalty on the buyer and may not hold up in court .
Higher deposit amounts can , of course , indicate a serious buyer , can give the seller some assurance that the buyer has the financial resources to complete the purchase and may also give the seller a sense of security that if the buyer were to back out of the deal , the deposit would cover some or all of the seller ’ s expenses .
However , a deposit that is disproportionately high in relation to the purchase price or is nonrefundable regardless of the buyer ’ s reasons for backing out of the deal may be considered a contractual penalty and could be voided by a court .
Ultimately , a seller may decide that the leverage of holding a higher deposit outweighs the risk of being sued if they forfeit it upon non-completion . However , if a seller demands a deposit exceeding 10 per cent , they may face challenges and could be held responsible for returning the entire deposit .
Richard Flounders , Partner , Jacksons Law Firm
The voice of business in the Tees region | 11