Yorkshire Businesses 'Buck the Trend'

Despite the recession, Yorkshire’s Business Community is showing the rest of the country how to turn economic challenge into business opportunity.

Thanks to the ‘Bucking the Trend’ competition launched by national business support service, Business Link, almost 60 Yorkshire businesses were able to highlight how they have overcome challenges and grasped new business opportunities. Entrants cited the ways in which they have used existing resources in new ways, found new markets, managed risks and in short, displayed the necessary flexibility needed to stay ahead. The competition was launched with the aim of finding companies who have shown just this type of initiative.

Among those involved in ‘Bucking the Trend’ are Yorkshire’s recently appointed ‘Business Ambassadors’ - made up of some of the region’s top business names, including Ware & Kay senior partner Peter Kay (pictured far left). A number of the Business Ambassadors have offered their mentoring services to the ten winners of the Business Link competition.

The four Gold winners will receive six months’ worth of mentoring from the Ambassadors whilst the six Silver winners will each receive a one-off mentoring session.

The four Gold winners are Brandon Medical in Leeds; Ploughcroft, building contractors in Brighouse; Wellhouse Leisure, camper van manufacture in Huddersfield and m2r, a recruitment business in Wakefield.

Helen West, Chief Executive of Business Link, thanked the Business Ambassadors who will deliver the mentoring prizes.

The winners were announced at the recent Yorkshire International Business Conference held in Harrogate and Bridlington. The stories of the winning companies can be read at http://www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk/yibc