Would-be young entrepreneurs in the district are being invited to get a helping hand in their quest for success and compete for a £10,000 cash boost in the process.

Shell LiveWIRE has operated a national network of business mentors for the last 16 years. Hundreds of businesses have benefited from its free advice and practical support in the Bradford district alone.

Now its has launched its Business Start Up Awards for 1999 to recognise the country's most promising new ventures. To qualify, businesses need to have been trading for no less than three months and no more than 18 months.

One of last year's competitors was Global Response Ltd, a telemarketing bureau based at the Design Exchange in Bradford. The company, set up in 1997 by Jennifer Ward and Stephen Mattinson, collected two awards for Most Outstanding Display and Most Promising Enterprising Business.

Mr Mattinson said: "It gave my confidence a huge boost and the phone hasn't stopped ringing due to all the publicity. My Shell LiveWIRE mentor's point of view was so important when I was striving to make my business idea a reality.

"My best tip for anybody thinking about setting up their own business is to get strong guidance from the outset and try to have a longer-term sounding board to help you as your business grows."

Bradford's LiveWIRE co-ordinator Tony Holditch says although it would be a great coup for the city to produce this year's national champion, everyone who approaches the scheme is a winner.

He said: "Each young person is assured of sound advice and assistance in producing a viable business which will significantly improve their chances of survival and long term success."

If you are aged between 16 and 30 and would like to enter the Business Start Up awards, or if you would like free information and advice on starting up your own business, ring 0345 573252 or contact Tony Holditch at the Morrison Trust on Bradford 614949.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.