A CHANCE for business people to learn about intellectual property and test out their ideas for inventions was recently available at the Innovation Centre in York Science Park in the first of a new series of monthly free specialist clinics.

The clinics, managed by the Yorkshire Forward-funded Support From Assured Professionals project, are being delivered through York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Hour-long, free-of-charge appointments with a specialist chartered patent agent and an intellectual property research officer are now available at the clinics being held between 10am to 4.30am on the first Thursday of each month. Others will follow in Stokesley (March 10) and Scarborough (April 7).

Those attending were given free intellectual property advice covering issues such as patents, designs and trade marks and issues including how best to protect and exploit them They were warned that if intellectual property was stolen or copied, it could ruin businesses which had not taken proper legal steps to protect it.

Karl Elliott, project manager for Support From Assured Professionals, said: "These free clinics are ideal for small businesses, especially for innovators or inventors, who need to be encouraged and nurtured in York and North Yorkshire."

For further information, or to book an appointment, phone Karl Elliott or Sarah Angus at York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce on 01904 629513.

Updated: 10:50 Thursday, February 10, 2005