ITV Central's Business Club on latest recession figures

More than three thousand people have been taken on over the last year by firms who are members of the ITV Business Club.

And the firms involved have increased their turnover and profit by millions of pounds.

ITV News asked them to divulge their financial results over the last year.

Collectively, the eight businesses we surveyed, turnover more than £700 million - £89 million more than last year and they've taken on 3,447 more people. The total payroll is now 22,961 and total profits are £29,513,000. This is £10,347,390 more than they made the year before.

Tomorrow, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product Figures) will be published and are expected to show that the UK is in recession - for the third quarter in a row.

But Liz Fothergill from Pennine Health Care in Derby says there are pockets of recession-busting areas in the Midlands - one of which is Derby where she is based.

She makes medical equipment used in operations and has increased her profits from £1m to £1.4million over the last year, and since Christmas she's taken on more than fifty people. 355 people work at her factory in Derby.