The Trading Places awards are designed to recognise inspiring people who have overcome adversity and are now successful in business. Joining Lorraine at the awards were some of the most famous faces from the worlds of business, sport and media including the likes of Kyran Bracken, Aldo Zilli, Katie Piper, Vanessa Feltz, Mica Paris and Theo Paphitis.
The award winners were selected from a short-list of 10 outstanding nominees:
Winner - ‘Homeless Man Turned Business Hero'
Richard Cartwright (43), who started Newcastle Books in January 2008, was presented with his winner's trophy and a cheque for £10,000 by the Dragons' Den Theo Paphitis.
We see them everyday - on our way to work, when popping out to the shop and even when out with your mates - they are the Big Issue sellers.
Richard became homeless in Birmingham after his business was robbed and he didn't get any insurance pay out. He went from the streets of Birmingham to Brighton and then to London. When he arrived in Newcastle he had made a career of living on the streets selling the Big Issue. He harnessed his love of reading by using his profits to buy books from charity shops and library sales.
Richard soon realised he needed to set himself a goal to inspire him to get out of the situation he was in. He also realised he was running out of places in the Big Issue office to store his beloved books.
Eventually Richard was granted a 13th floor council flat and found himself literally (and literately) surrounded by books. He began to collect more and more books and with a computer he made himself he began to list his books online. With help from Business Link and the Big Issue Richard was able to secure a loan and to lease a warehouse unit to store his books.
Newcastle Books sells used and new books via the internet with a large international customer base. The warehouse unit has a 200,000+ book capacity and Richard is well on his way to filling it. He has inventory of 140,000+ books with 27,000+ books currently listed online and is listing more and more everyday. Richard also has employed four local residents that are helping him expand the business successfully.
Runner-Up - ‘Blinding Success for ODA Catering Company'
John Charles (38), who started Catering2Order in July 2007, was presented with a cheque for £5,000 by celebrity chef Aldo Zilli at a black tie dinner at The Savoy in London on Tuesday 30th November.
When John finished his final exams at University he decided to finally speak to a hospital consultant about the severe headaches he had been experiencing. Little did he know that he would be admitted to the emergency room immediately. Within seven months John was a registered blind person with the cause unknown.
He found himself at 26 years old with a university degree and only 5% of his eyesight. This completely changed John's life and it took him 18 months to come to grips with his new condition.
Upon receiving some advice from the self employment team at Action For Blind People, John was able to develop a business plan for his idea for a catering company. Catering2Order has services ranging from full catering provision management for staff restaurants, corporate hospitality and buffet catering for functions.
Catering2Order is a social enterprise that funds their own work placement scheme for people with disabilities and socially deprived communities. In May 2008 it landed a contract with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to provide catering services to the Olympic construction site in East London.
Community Winner - ‘Dedicated Community Service Man Honoured at National Business Awards'
Andy Kent (53), who has overcome adversity to start up his own car servicing company, was presented with his winner's trophy and a cheque for £3,500 by former England football star Paul Merson at a black-tie dinner at The Savoy in London on Tuesday 30th November.
Andy left school at the age of 14 barely able to read or write. He has also suffered most of his life with internal bleeding and was convinced he had no real skills and little hope of finding gainful employment.
Andy's father believed his son had more to offer and, seeing that he was good with his hands, persuaded the service manager at the local garage to take him on as workshop assistant. Andy took to his new job immediately and within a year he was offered a full apprenticeship as a motor mechanic.
Andy gained confidence and for the next 10 years he built a successful career doing a job he loved. But his working life was brought to an abrupt halt when he suffered an almost fatal brain haemorrhage. Andy lost the use of his right side and the ability to speak fluently, and spent the next year learning how to walk and talk again.
Determined not to let anything hold him back, Andy decided to put his recovery time to good use. With the help of his children, he worked hard to improve his reading and writing and after attending college, achieved GCSE passes in Language and written English.
Andy got an opportunity to take over a business that was going under but the owners would not sell to him. Disappointed and frustrated by the missed opportunity, Andy decided it was time to strike out on his own. After re-mortgaging his home to raise funds and with the support of his wife Jan, Andy started Andy's Kars in November 2002, providing servicing and mechanical repairs to cars and light commercial vehicles.
Determined to use his knowledge, skills and experiences to benefit others like him, Andy has made it his policy to employ disabled and disadvantaged people, providing them with the opportunities he lacked. The company is run as a social enterprise and Andy has modified the workspace to accommodate the specific needs of his employees. His commitment is truly inspirational and he has proved beyond a doubt that disability is no barrier to success.
The list of 10 outstanding nominees included:
Daniel Twiddy- Dan Twiddy Plastering, Stamford (Lincolnshire)
Daniel Twiddy was serving in Basra, when his Challenger tank became involved in a friendly fire incident. The first round blew Dan out of his vehicle, setting him on fire, and he sustained major shrapnel injuries to his face and body.
Dan was flown directly to hospital in the UK and remained on a life support machine for many weeks. But he fought back. After a long recovery, he decided to train as a plasterer and in 2006, started Dan Twiddy Plastering.
It has taken Dan three years to build the business - but today he and his family look forward to a bright future.
Tom Dowling- All Together Now!, Liverpool (Merseyside)
As a young man, Tom Dowling was attacked by armed robbers on the roadside in Iran. The bullet that ripped through Tom's back left him permanently paralysed and in a wheelchair.
Tom was a reporter on the Liverpool Echo and had the idea for a column that would address disability issues. It proved a huge success and grew into a regular supplement.
But Tom felt there was even more potential and decided to set up his own publishing business offering a bi-monthly and online magazine, covering health and disability issues.
Today, 60,000 copies of All Together Now! are regularly distributed to more than 400 outlets across the North West.
Gina Moffatt - Blooming Scent, Haringey (London)
When Gina Moffatt found herself serving a prison sentence, the young mum of two quickly realised her life needed to change.
After studying for an NVQ in floristry, Gina persuaded the Holloway authorities to let her open a shop inside the prison. It proved hugely popular - with prisoners, wardens and visitors becoming regular customers.
On her release, Gina used her skills to launch Blooming Scent. Now she provides flowers and floral decorations for both individuals and corporate events and has recently become the sole contractor for the Bernie Grant Centre in Haringey.
Inayah Sher- Inayah's Quest, Bradford (West Yorkshire)
Inayah Sher was born and raised into a strict Muslim family. At the age of five she was contractually locked into a marriage. On her 14th birthday in Bradford, she was forced to live with the husband. As she became older, Inayah increasingly challenged her family's traditional customs, which she believed left women bereft of autonomy and a career.
Inayah was determined her daughter would have greater freedom - but that depended on her achieving independence. She decided to start up a business specialising in natural skin care products that also teaches others how to make their own nature-friendly preparations.
Mike Laver- Mike Laver, Cabinet Maker, Wimborne (Dorset)
Mike Laver commanded British helicopter forces in Iraq. But his career as a pilot came to an end when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Mike's future looked bleak but he was determined to view his new situation as an opportunity. He decided to put his interest in furniture to good use and enrolled on a two-year course to become a self-employed cabinet maker. Today, Mike produces individual pieces of furniture with heirloom quality.
But the former airman still relishes a challenge.
Mike has also started Monster Ski, an extreme sporting event to help raise funds to fight Multiple Sclerosis.
Duane Jackson- KashFlow Software, Southwark (London)
Duane Jackson had a troubled childhood that eventually led to a prison sentence. Duane was interested in computers and began teaching IT skills to other inmates. On his release, he had no home, no money and no qualifications.
Undaunted, Duane set himself up as a one-man business offering web development services. However, he found the lack of understandable accounting software a problem. Unable to find an easy-to-use software package, Duane set about writing his own - and KashFlow Software was born.
Today, Duane has over 7,000 customers and a business valued in excess of £10 million.
Karina Hesketh - Karina's Bags, Heaton (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Karina Hesketh had a successful career in fashion but three events changed her life. Her marriage broke down, her son was born with Epilepsy, and she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Karina struggled to support her two children whilst living on disability benefit. But she remained passionate about fashion and when a friend asked her to make a special bag for a wedding, she readily agreed.
It was an instant success and inspired Karina to launch her own label, selling unique limited edition designs from her website to customers throughout the world.
