Competition's board has a new member (From Salisbury Journal)

Competition's board has a new member

in Local Business Accelerators

A THIRD entrepreneur has come on board to help the Journal pick the winners of its new business competition.

Paul Horsley is joining Lara Morgan and James Grazebrook, Journal publisher Bill Browne and business editor Katharine Lawley on the judging panel for Local Business Accelerators.

Mr Horsley began his career as an investment banker before acquiring and building up drinks distribution business The Beer Seller.

He is currently chairman of Butcombe Brewery.

Five hundred newspapers, including the Salisbury and Forest Journals, are offering £15 million-worth of free advertising in their titles to the most dynamic new businesses.

The scheme, organised by the Newspaper Society, is backed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Deborah Meaden of Dragons’ Den.

The Journal is looking for promising local businesses between one and three years old, to take advantage of professional mentoring from the three entrepreneurs and a substantial allocation of free advertising space in the paper.

The judging panel will shortlist the entries before awarding three lucky local businesses the free advertising and business advice.

One lucky business, picked from the hundreds of regional winners, will get individual mentoring sessions from Deborah Meaden, the LBA national ambassador.

“I’ve seen the unique contribution that local press makes to the success of local businesses time and again with my own ventures,” she said.

“In this age of enterprise, it has never been more important to drive awareness about the value of local marketing for a fledgling business, which is why I’m so proud to support Local Business Accelerators and help build thriving and industrious communities.”

Mr Cameron called Local Business Accelerators an “excellent initiative”.

“In towns and cities across the country, local and regional newspapers are helping to build stronger local communities and contributing to growth by supporting local businesses. They have a major role to play in championing growth,” he said.

“The Local Business Accelerators campaign will help provide the boost that our smaller British businesses need right now.

“By joining forces to launch this excellent initiative, local newspapers are demonstrating their commitment and providing exactly the sort of practical, hands-on support that will help young local businesses succeed and grow.

“Those who will benefit from the initiative are the very businesses and entrepreneurs who will help to lead Britain’s recovery.”

* If you want to enter Local Business Accelerators for the chance to receive business support and advertising space in the Salisbury and Forest Journals, you can visit www.accelerateme.co.uk for details of how to enter.

Entries close on November 14.