Images capture faces of success

8:35am Tuesday 15th July 2008

THE winners of a regionwide hunt for entrepreneurial talent have been commemorated in pieces of artwork.

The seven victors of the If We Can You Can challenge from across the North-East - including 20-year-old trainer designer Matt Scott, chosen by readers of The Northern Echo - have each been given a specially-designed canvas image of themselves to celebrate their achievements.

The winners will now become Faces of Entrepreneurship for 2009, to inspire budding business figures of the future to follow their leads, and will be given mentoring by some of the North- East's most established business people.

The seven runners-up in the competition - organised by the Entrepreneurs Forum and supported by The Northern Echo - have been named Ambassadors for Entrepreneurship, and will act as beacons for success. Included in that category is Karen Forster, The Northern Echo's runner-up in the challenge, who owns and runs Trampas the Mens Room, in Durham City. She is, by coincidence, the godmother of winner Mr Scott, who runs MES Footwork.

The 14 winners met for the first time at an event last week to celebrate their success and that of the If We Can You Can challenge, which saw thousands of votes cast from across the region.

The challenge is part of a wider campaign, which seeks to re-instill a spirit of entrepreneurship and a can-do culture in the North- East. The canvas images were presented to the winners by Margaret Fay, chairwoman of development agency One NorthEast, which is funding the campaign for three years.

Mrs Fay said: "I would like to congratulate all those people who have entered the challenge for making it such a success.

"Entrepreneurs are the kind of people who not only have the bright ideas, but get up and go for it.

"They are central to the future of business in our region and this campaign has showcased the exciting rising talent in the North- East."

The challenge was launched in March, and hundreds of finalists were whittled down to 14 by the panel of judges comprising highlevel business and media figures from across the region, including co-founder and director of Entrepreneurs Forum Sir Peter Vardy, and The Northern Echo's Editor Peter Barron. A public vote chose the winning seven entrepreneurs.

Carole Beverley, chief executive of the Entrepreneurs' Forum, said: "The campaign has created a new community of entrepreneurs who have all shown incredible passion, drive and ambition to succeed.

"We are delighted to see this community already developing its own momentum and hope that it will help to inspire a future generation of entrepreneurs."

To join the online community as part of the If We Can You Can campaign, visit ifwecanyoucan.co.uk

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