Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards 2009 - Winners Announced

The winners of the 2009 Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards were announced last night in a gala awards ceremony at Carden Park Hotel, Chester. The winners and runners up in the six categories won a total of £100k plus a package of valuable professional services, including free banking advice from the main sponsor Barclays Commercial Bank.

Now in their third year, the Awards are designed to encourage a whole new generation of entrepreneurial role models and were open to charities, social enterprises, businesses and entrepreneurs from Merseyside, Cheshire, Shropshire, North Wales and the Wolverhampton area.

Greengrape Solutions of Liverpool won the £20,000 first prize in the Best New Business category.
Formed by Emma Loizidis, John McDonald and Charlotte McDonald just over two years ago, the company supports the recruitment, training and business needs of public and private providers delivering significant Welfare-to-Work programmes on behalf of central government. In a very competitive category, Greengrape Solutions impressed the judges with their passion and commitment, coupled with their expert knowledge in a specialist sector.

The Best Young Entrepreneur first prize of £10,000 was won by John Kelly.
John Kelly Construction Services Ltd, Anglesey, is a successful growing business, supplying a wide range of construction and civil engineering services in the North Wales area. Since starting the business two years ago, 24-year John has built a strong reputation for reliability, quality and professionalism. Having left school at the age of 16, the judges recognised his grit and quiet determination to succeed.

Five Children and Families Trust Ltd, Speke, Merseyside scooped the £10,000 first prize in the category, Best Entrepreneurial Charity or Social Enterprise. The charity focuses on families in the most deprived area of the UK, providing community driven services combined with a strong focus on social enterprise. In a very strong category, the judges agreed that Five Children and Families Trust responded to needs innovatively and profitably and made a real difference to the local community.

The £10,000 top award for the Best Individual Entrepreneur Working in a Charity or Social Enterprise went to Alison McCausland of The Relationships Centre, Warrington, Cheshire. The Relationships Centre works in partnership with a range of independent and specialist providers to offer innovative solutions; both treating the effects and targeting the causes of abuse and relationship problems. The judges thought that Alison’s wide ranging experience, which she brings to bear in an impressive and practical way, helps improve the living conditions of many people.

Kid'z'Ink, based on Anglesey won the top prize of £10,000 in the Best Business Providing a Social or Economic Contribution category. It is run on a not for profit basis, offering good quality, safe childcare facilities. In an area of severe economic deprivation Kid’z’Ink not only allows opportunities for training and employment, its affordable services allow parents to return to work or training. The huge acheivements and endearing modesty of Rita Lyon and Kate Hudson of Kid’z’Ink made a big impression on the judges.

The emotional climax of the evening was the Against All Odds prize of £10,000 awarded to the person or organisation that had overcome the biggest obstacles on their path to success. After much deliberation about the five outstanding finalists, the judges agreed that The Nessie Club, Runcorn, represented by Paul Wright and Vicky Glynn were worthy winners.  Paul Wright said that ‘against all odds’ sums up the ground-breaking achievements of seven 'failing and underachieving' thirteen year olds who set up the Nessie Club in 2001. This canal boat-based social inclusion project has enabled over 1000 vulnerable and at-risk young people to overcome poverty and deprivation.