The Bradford Kickstart Enterprise Competition was going to offer four prizes of £1000 to the best new business ideas in Bradford District. However, after two days of nail-biting interviews, the independent panel of judges awarded five prizes - after being amazed by the exceptionally high standard of entries.

There were over 200 entries from across Bradford District and it was extremely difficult to create a shortlist of just 23 to carry forward to the finals.

During the two day event, each person on the shortlist had just 15 minutes to explain why their idea was the best. The judges were looking for ideas that were viable, original and could have a positive impact on local jobs, the community and the environment.

The winners of the enterprise competition were:

• Simon Kenny, for his inspirational idea of a restaurant and catering service offering training and employment to young offenders;

• Dan McTiernan, for his environmentally-sound proposal to produce garden buildings using waste and recycled materials;

• Debbie Parker and Jenna Verit for ‘Sparkle,’ a make-over and photography experience designed to increase confidence in teenagers and young people;

• Toni Dominik, Julie Milburn, Kerrie Ormondroyd and Laura Spuden for their business idea ‘Woman at Work,’ a construction and renovation service provided entirely by women and which will encourage more women to learn skills traditionally associated with men;

• Steve Vink for innovative new software which provides a new dimension to traditional race-nights, allowing organisations to raise money for charities.

The youngest competitor was 16-year-old Ruckaiya Karim, of Clayton, and the oldest, 83-year-old Kenneth Petrie, of West Bowling, Bradford – demonstrating that people of any age can be enterprising.

“The judges were spoiled for choice so we decided to award five prizes,” says Councillor Adrian Naylor, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, who chaired the panel.

He added: “The quality of entries demonstrated just how enterprising many local people are. However, it was the passion, enthusiasm and dedication that really impressed all the judges. The ideas were creative, well thought out and potentially able to generate new jobs - a key objective for the Kickstart programme.”

Everyone who entered the competition has been contacted by a Bradford Kickstart business adviser offering guidance in developing their new business proposal. They were also invited to attend a free seminar entitled ‘Ideas into Action.’

Each shortlisted entrant met individually with the judging panel to discuss their business idea and will be offered ongoing advice and support from Kickstart business counsellors in Bradford and the Aire Valley.

In addition to Councillor Naylor, members of the judging panel were: Ned Basic, Proprietor and General Manager of the Dubrovnik Hotel, Manningham; Barbara Dinsdale, Managing Director of Bradford-based health screening company Health Yourself; Shelley Tasker, a Business Counsellor with Manningham-based Digitalife; Sheikh Mani Waheed, Managing Director of Bradford property company Squarefoot Apartments and Anthony Waddington, the Bradford Business Broker and Manager of mentoring service ‘Be Involved.’