Fashion designer Jennifer McPherson is not the only young entrepreneur whose business was kick-started by youth charity the Prince's Trust.

In fact there are 35 other budding companies like her Enamore clothing label in the Brighton area alone and all of them gathered this weekend in a giant showcase to demonstrate the role of the Prince's Trust in encouraging young enterprise.

The trust's Business Programme helps 18-30-year-olds start their own firms by offering low-interest loans and grants to those who have no other means of raising the capital.

It also provides continued support for the first three years of trading, including assigning a volunteer business mentor who provides regular advice.

Some 55 per cent of new businesses helped by the trust are still trading into their third year.

Saturday's event was held at the Friends Meeting House in Ship Street in Brighton's Lanes and featured a vast array of aspiring businesses.

They included artists, glassmakers, female plumbers, songwriters, cooks and photographers.

Jennifer, 27, specialised in the use of organic fabrics and recycled materials to make clothes and dreamed of one day starting her own company.

She said: "I felt I was in an awful place and had little chance financially of going into business.

"The Prince's Trust was so encouraging and enthusiastic about my idea from the very beginning. Following the support I received whilst working on my business plan, I started to believe in myself.

"My mentor has been a great source of support for me, especially when things weren't going so well."

Jennifer was awarded a loan of £2,000 from the trust in January, last year, to start Enamore and she now works from a unit in Kemp Town.

She is in the process of making Enamore a limited company and hopes to develop into wholesale retailing.

By the end of 2005 she hopes to employ her own staff to work alongside her.

Single mum Amy Martin, 26, felt she was unemployable and approached The Prince's Trust in 2004 for help to start her business Lady Decorator.

After receiving a £2,400 loan, Amy had monthly meetings with her mentor, Mike Sharp, who provided her with the guidance she needed to make her business a success.

A Prince's Trust spokesman said: "The event was a great chance for young people with business ideas to learn more about how we can help them."

April 26, 2005