Town's young win enterprise award

Young entrepreneurs from Rotherham who have successfully launched firms in the town made a "pitch" to judges from top regional companies to secure the title in a contest.

They faced opposition from teams from around the region during the pressurised event at the office of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward but were judged runaway winners.

Fashion label owner Luci Bennett helped claim the crown for Rotherham by explaining to the panel how she had overcome initial problems to set up her company Roc and Doll.

She was then joined by a group of schoolchildren who have taken part in a scheme, called Rotherham Ready, which saw youngsters and their teachers mentored by local business people.

Rotherham Ready Manager and enterprise projects manager for Rotherham Council Jackie Frost said it was important to show young people that they could be a success in business. She said the town had suffered setbacks and added: "Winning this award is well-deserved recognition for the effort and passion of everyone involved in developing enterprise in Rotherham.

"Young people in Rotherham need to be enterprising – more so now than ever – and people from education and business have been working to make sure that they are.

"We want young people to leave school, college or university ready for the challenges and opportunities of life, and ready to help shape the economy of Rotherham.

"Developing a culture of enterprise is only possible when people from across the local authority and the borough work together to make a difference.

"This award has been achieved because of that spirit of team work." Mrs Frost said Rotherham was home to some of the most deprived communities in the region, but had been undergoing a "profound shift in culture" because of the investment in enterprise education.

Funding from the European Regional Development Fund, had helped train hundreds of teachers to develop enterprise in schools and colleges, and paid for projects to attract business people to share their knowledge.

Rotherham Youth Enterprise has also been set up to provide start up support, business coaching and incubation workspace for young entrepreneurs with 232 youngsters starting businesses in the last five years.

Now that the town has won the regional heats of the Enterprising Britain awards they will be put forward for the national prize and will repeat their presentation for national judges.

Next month, the Rotherham team are against 11 other regional finalists. The overall winner will go on to represent Britain at the European Enterprise Awards next year.

Yorkshire Forward board member and chairman of the regional judging panel John Vincent said: "The success of Rotherham Ready demonstrates what can be achieved if people work together to improve the social and economic prospects of their community.

"We are confident that their great example will encourage other organisations to do more to support entrepreneurial behaviour in the region that will continue to benefit generations to come.

"Winning Enterprising Britain for Yorkshire is a fantastic achievement and we are delighted to have been able to pick this year's winner from a very strong field of enterprising places.

"We look forward to Rotherham's progress through the national finals of the competition and on into Europe."