AN Edinburgh home care provider has been named ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2012 Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ awards ceremony in Glasgow last night.
Tim Cocking (27) founder of Bright Care at Home in Edinburgh beat off competition from hundreds of Youth Business Scotland supported businesses from all over Scotland who were eligible for this year’s ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award, held at Glasgow City Chambers.
Bright Care at Home provide dependable and affordable care for elderly residents in Edinburgh, to ensure they benefit from the safety and comfort of their own homes for as long as possible, while maintaining their independence and dignity. Services comprise tailored solutions as well as one to one care for private individuals who prefer to manage their own care arrangements and require home visits of two hours or more.
The runners-up are car valeting duo Sean McMillan and Simon Morgan, founders of SS Autovalet in Union Square, Aberdeen. Sean McMillan (24) and Simon Morgan (24) initially set up their car valet business in Dundee and it was such a success they decided to expand into the Aberdeen market. SS Autovalet employ 16 full-time and part-time staff and have recently been granted a contract extension to provide valeting services at Union Square shopping centre until 2017.
Future plans include establishing an eco-friendly ‘waterless’ car washing service at a new adjacent venue in Aberdeen and an electrical mobile unit for visiting business premises in and around Aberdeen.
Two brothers from the Outer Hebrides, Konrad and Kamil Kosieradzki, founders of K&K Fishing based in Uist were announced as joint winners of the runners up award. Originally from Poland, Konrad (29) and Kamil (28) Kosieradzki moved to Uist in 2005 and own a scallop dredger which operates out of Kallin harbour on the east coast of Uist.
The boat was purchased through borrowing, assistance from the Outer Hebrides Fisheries Support Scheme (a partnership between RBS, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the Western Isles Fishermen’s Association) and Youth Business Scotland.
Shortly after they began trading they faced a significant personal and professional challenge when Kamil was diagnosed with a serious illness. Despite having more fishing experience, he had to step right back from the business and concentrate on his treatment and recovery.
Fortunately, Konrad, with support from the local fishing community, was able to increase his contribution, successfully managing the business until Kamil was well enough to return to fishing. Moreover, Kamil appears to have beaten his illness and is now back at work full-time. The brothers are known locally to be extremely hard-working and have integrated well into the community, having built a home in North Uist and now making plans for the future to commission a new custom built vessel.
Sir Charles Dunstone, co-founder of mobile phone retailer, Carphone Warehouse, was the keynote speaker at the awards, which are now in their 17th year. Charles, who is also chair of TalkTalk and the Prince’s Trust Council, set up Sir Carphone Warehouse (CPW) when he was 25 years-old, with an investment of £6,000. It has since become one of the world’s largest independent mobile communications retailers, with a market cap of £800million.
Presenting the winners with their awards and cheques for £2,000 and £1,500, Heather Gray, director, The Prince’s Trust Scotland, said: “All our finalists tonight have shown determination, ambition and fortitude to succeed in business, no matter what challenges they face. Self-belief is another important ingredient for business success and our winner tonight has proved that too, making him an outstanding entrepreneur and a worthy winner of this fantastic award.
“It’s a huge step to set up your own business and work for yourself and all our winners have demonstrated that with dedication, commitment and talent you can achieve great things. Youth Business Scotland is delighted to support them on their journey which is helping also to create a culture of entrepreneurship and success in Scotland.”
A special award was also given to the Youth Business Scotland ‘Volunteer of the Year.’ This was awarded to Fife-based Hamish Macdonald Lockhart, who was selected from over 700 PSYBT volunteers across Scotland.
Congratulating him, Ms Gray said: “Hamish has served as a panel member, panel signatory, aftercare adviser and fundraising champion and has demonstrated exceptional qualities in all of these roles over recent years. He is a dynamic and inspirational member of the volunteer team and we are delighted to present him with this special award.”
Ends
Issued on behalf of Youth Business Scotland by Jen Nash, Panache Communications t. 07971 466 220 e. jen@panachecommunications.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) is now known as The Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland and is part of The Prince’s Trust.
Since 1989 Youth Business Scotland has helped over 13,000 individuals to start over 11,500 businesses. £38m has been awarded in loans and grants. Of those supported 82 per cent trade beyond one year and 58 per cent beyond three years. 52 per cent of young people supported are male and 48 per cent are female. 60 per cent of young people were unemployed when they first approached us.
In the last year Youth Business Scotland responded to over 3,000 business start-up enquiries and worked with over 2,000 young people to explore their ideas. The charity helped 671 individuals to start 619 businesses with an investment of £1.5m.
Youth Business Scotland has over 700 volunteers throughout Scotland who help to deliver its mentoring programme and sit on funding panels to award funding. Over 900 businesses engage in the charity’s mentoring programme.
At the start of the year Youth Business Scotland launched its Top 100 report, celebrating the best of Youth Business Scotland supported businesses. Collectively these businesses have a combined turnover of £157m and have created more than 2,200 jobs.
CONTACT NUMBERS:
Tim Cocking, Brightcare at Home, info@brightcare.co.uk, 0131 524 8181/07956 173 473
Konrad & Kamil Kosieradszki, K & K Fishing, kkosieradzki@aol.com, 07525441578
SS Autovalet Ltd, 07739714616, www.aberdeencarvalet.com
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Contact: Jen Nash
Phone: 07971466220
Email: jen@panachecommunications.co.uk
Website: http://www.panachecommunications.co.uk
