There’s just ten days to go for young businesses in the Spalding area to get a huge boost to help them grow.
The Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian Local Business Accelerators campaign rewards promising young businesses with free local newspaper advertising and mentoring. – and lucky entrants could go on to win a national prize package worth thousands.
As the number of entries rise, the CBI, ICAEW and Freeagent have come on board to bolster the overall winner’s prize package.
In a further boost Business Accelerators, which is supported by the Government and private sector’s Business in You campaign, the three organisations have contributed a host of new prizes.
Now, the overall winner will receive free membership of the CBI for a year, free business advice from the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales) valued at £2,000, and an iPad from Freeagent, which is also offering a year’s free access to its accountancy software to each of the national finalists, valued at £300 per finalist.
That’s in addition to the campaign’s main prize of mentoring from the campaign’s national ambassador Deborah Meaden, of Dragons’ Den, and a free ad campaign in their local newspaper. The Business Growth Fund has also contributed with a £10,000 cash sum for the overall winner.
The South Lincolnshire-based business mentors are Spalding Guardian and Lincolnshire Free Press editor Jeremy Ransome, Deborah Brown from Roythornes solicitors, Keith Forrest from NatWest bank and Alistair Main from Duncan and Toplis chartered accountants.
They will form a judging panel to shortlist entries before awarding one local company with the prize of business advice and free advertising.
To enter the Local Business Accelerators competition, which is also being backed by Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King, visit www.accelerateme. co.uk
Deadline is Friday,November 16.