BROADCASTER and former Olympic athlete Derek Redmond will be keynote speaker at the launch of the York Enterprise Scheme and Discovery Week at the National Centre for Early Music in Walmgate, York, on Thursday, March 7.

Mr Redmond, World Championships gold medallist and Commonwealth record holder, who famously hobbled the last 250 metres in the 4x400m relay with a serious hamstring injury mid-race at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, will talk on Shaping Up for Success.

Nick Bolton, founder of Lexicle, the high tech company which has created a corporate 3-D virtual cyber woman to interact with customers over the Internet, will also talk about the triumphs and pitfalls of building a high technology venture.

The York Enterprise Scheme, funded by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has been co-ordinated by Science City York and the University of York to increase the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation across the city.

Discovery Week - from March 8 to 17 - celebrates National Science Week in York, beaming in on the edge-of-ultimate-knowledge activity in York.

It includes the three-day Science Works! interactive exhibition at the Guild Hall, York, starting March 8 plus other hands-on events, tours, talks, demonstrations, workshops and activities.

The launch meeting with Derek Edmond is ticket-only, but 100 free tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis by phoning Andrew Stevenson on 01904 554532.

Updated: 10:57 Tuesday, February 26, 2002