Long service award for mentor Malcolm

Malcolm, who is now retired, has been a Business Mentor in the Craigavon area since December 2000 and has mentored several businesses including a beautician, dog kennel manufacturer and was recently matched to a partnership running a sewing and alterations shop.

Malcolm won The Prince's Trust Celebrate Success Volunteer of the Year Award in 2006 and has supported the Volunteer Team by speaking to new Business Mentors at training workshops.

The award was presented at the recent ‘Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs’ conference in the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.

The event, which included a motivational speech by US entrepreneur and business mentor, Doug Richard of Dragon’s Den fame, acknowledged the valuable contribution business mentors make to the young people on The Prince’s Trust Business Programme.

Ian Jeffers, Director of The Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland, said: “Volunteers play a critical role in our work and we are delighted to honour Malcolm and our other long-term mentors for the years of service they have given to The Prince’s Trust and the many young people they have worked with to help get their business up, running and growing.

“The expertise, professionalism and ongoing dedication of the business mentors provide an invaluable source of support for the young people on the programme and we hope that they will also inspire other businesses and individuals to become involved in mentoring.”

The Prince’s Trust Business Programme, funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund, enables young people to fulfil their ambition of starting their own business by providing them with a low cost loan and grant. The Trust also provides continued support for the first three years of trading including assigning a Volunteer Business Mentor.