GARY Reeve as been appointed associate director at Whybrow Chartered Surveyors in Colchester.

Mr Reeve is also head of the building surveying and project management department.

He has 17 years experience in the construction industry and property surveying.

STUDENT Rachel Harrison will be spending her work-based placement year at a Colchester PR firm.

Ms Harrison, from Colchester, is in her second year of a four year PR degree at Leeds University.

She recently spend two weeks at the firm in St Peter's Street, and will spend her third year there as junior PR account executive.

A NEW website to help consumers find reputable local businesses has been launched in Colchester.

The Brownbook was set up after the founders experienced problems getting their business listed in the major directories.

Jerry Brown, one of the founders, said: "We're launching in Colchester with 8651 businesses of every type already listed- that's around 95% of all businesses in Colchester."

A COLCHESTER independent financial advisor has become the first in the town to complete a resolution training programme.

Gary Riches, of Scrutton Bland, completed the collaborative training programme and passed his specialist exam for financial advisors.

It means he is now accredited to act as a financial expert in divorce cases.