Business Editor RON GODFREY looks at some of the Livewire young hopefuls making a name for themselves in the world of business...

YOU can be sure of one thing - the group of young business adventurers who turn up at the York and North Yorkshire final of the Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards next month, won't waste a second.

Time is money but time well-spent is money-in-the-bin. And win the ultimate £10,000 national prize or not, these local awards at Le Meridien Hotel (aka the Royal York) on Friday March 15 will be worth it...

Not just because their business minds will be concentrated wonderfully when they are interviewed on their submitted plans by judges Norman Whyte of York Business Advice Centre, Tracie Jarvis of previous county winner Canvas, of York, and Andy Milson of Stone Soup (last year's York-based winners).

And not just because this will be a great opportunity to market their ventures through a small display stand for invited guests at the evening presentation dinner.

But because there will be the opportunity for them to take part in two seminars during the day - one on improving their financial skills in running a small business given by Nigel Jones of York accountants Jones & Co; the other on sharpening their sales and marketing technique with the help of Peter Harrington of York-based Questions Answered.

Sponsoring this year's regional final are the Prince's Trust, Business Link North and North Yorkshire, Stone Soup of York, the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, City of York Council, York Business Advice Centre, Shell UK Ltd and Le Meridien.

Here we feature some of the ten local hopefuls - all owner-managers aged under 30 in charge of fledgling businesses on the verge or in the process of taking flight. They include a sculptor, a photographer, an egg roundsman and even a white witch obsessed with the gothic genre.

They all harbour hopes of being selected for the regional final at St James' Park, Newcastle in May and from there, the UK final at the offices of The Institute of Directors in Pall Mall, London in June.

Many of them have benefited from Princes Trust "soft" loans and are linked with the Young Business Project based at the Fishergate Centre, York, where advice, information and facilities to start a business are readily available for young people. York Business Advice Centre is also based there, offering training and business counselling.

But all have one thing in common - an energy to light up the darkest spirits in an uncertain economy and with enough fizz to become Livewires in their own right...

Updated: 10:51 Tuesday, February 26, 2002