Young entrepreneur award joy for Ben Allen (From York Press)

Young entrepreneur award joy for Ben Allen

9:47am Monday 19th November 2012 in Business news

BEN Allen, a finalist in The Press Business Awards 2012, has won the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award.

The 27-year-old from Scarborough, who set up Oomph Wellness (Our Organisation Makes People Happy) to offer exercise, dance and art therapy sessions for the elderly people in care homes was awarded a £10,000 prize.

Since starting his business just over 18 months ago, Oomph Wellness has reached 15,000 elderly in 500 care homes across the country and the business employs 26 people in seven cities across the UK. He is experiencing a month-on-month growth of 20 per cent and expects his revenues to be in excess of £500,000 within the next 12 months.

Ben underwent an independent judging process by a panel of eight business experts, including Laura Wyatt-Smith from The Prince’s Trust, former Apprentice candidate and TV presenter Saira Khan and the 2011 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner and founder of KwickScreen, Michael Korn.

Ben said: “It’s a great honour to win the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and the prize money will be a huge boost to my business. I’ve learnt so much already through the Shell LiveWIRE process, and have had the opportunity to network with some brilliant business minds from across the UK.”