Chancellor Gordon Brown Announces Winners of the Enterprising Young Brits competition

The winners of the second Enterprising Young Brits competition were announced yesterday (Tuesday 15 November) by Rt Hon Gordon Brown at a special lunchtime ceremony at the Great Eastern Hotel in London.

Ali won with the Community Enterprise Award after giving a presentation to the judges in a ‘X Factor’-style final yesterday, as part of a flagship Enterprise Week event run by the Make Your Mark campaign.

Thirty-year-old Ali Clabburn founded liftshare.com in 2000. In the past five years the organisation has grown substantially and now works with almost 600 clients across the UK including local authorities, universities, hospitals and businesses to establish branded and private car share schemes. It is estimated that the schemes set up by the company saves approximately 21 million car miles per annum and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by over 4,000 tonnes per year. Following the bombings in London on 7 July this year, Ali and his team helped thousands of people to get home. www.liftshare.com

The competition is part of the Make Your Mark – start talking ideas campaign and recognises young people who have turned their ideas into reality.

Chancellor Gordon Brown says; ‘All of the finalists are winners – they are creating new opportunities and advancing new ideas to create an enterprising society. You are showing that Britain is an enterprising economy.
‘Do not underestimate the power you have to encourage others – you are making your mark by showing that enterprise is changing the face of Britain.’
Kevin Steele, of the Make your Mark campaign and competition organiser, says, 'All of the finalists in today's Enterprising Young Brits competition are truly inspirational young people and we wish all of them well for future. On behalf of all the judges our congratulations go to the five winners James Murray Wells, Ali Clabburn, Calypso Rose, Oliver Bridge and Anna Cowley. I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of all of today’s finalists as their enterprises continue to flourish and their stories will inspire many others to make their mark.'

Ali overcame several hurdles to get this far. The first round of judging was undertaken by some of last year’s winners – Annika and Tom Bosanquet from Wrapology and Fraser Doherty from Doherty’s Preserves. In the second stage entries were discussed by the judging panel which included Kevin Steele, Chief Executive of the Make Your Mark – start talking ideas campaign, Emily Eavis, Music Coordinator at Glastonbury Festival, Al Gosling, Chief Executive of the Extreme Group, Martin Wyn Griffith, Chief Executive of the Small Business Service and representatives from Lloyds TSB, Daily Mail, and HM Treasury. In the final stage, Ali gave a five minute presentation to the judging panel.

Enterprise Week (14-20 November) is a national celebration of enterprise, with over 2,000 events taking place throughout the UK. Anyone interested in finding out more about the Make Your Mark – start talking ideas campaign and what is happening during Enterprise Week should go to www.starttalkingideas.org