COUNTY Durham businessman Dave Spensley has completed a special hat-trick of awards for his work with budding entrepreneurs at a Teesside special school.

Jun 24 2008 by Karen Wilson, The Journal

Mr Spensley, a director of Aycliffe Fabrications Ltd, Newton Aycliffe, has taken the Young Enterprise North East (YENE) Business Adviser of the Year title for the second time in three years.

He becomes the first ‘double winner’ of the award, which is supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and aims to single out the best mentors and role models.

The latest honour also makes it three in a row for Mr Spensley, whose previous success in 2006 was followed by a gold award from YENE last year for his continued commitment to the education charity’s work.

The latest accolade again recognises his role in guiding 16-to-18-year-old students at Catcote School, Hartlepool. Mr Spensley has acted as business adviser to the teenagers, whose company Eagle’s Eye specialises in seasonal gifts, including tea towels, bags and cards.

“Positive, businesslike and professional” were the three key attributes highlighted by the teenagers who nominated him for the award.

The judges believed that Mr Spensley’s encouragement helped the team to have a quality product of which they could be proud, to sell it well and to use humour and other persuasive techniques.

The trophy was presented by ICAEW regional director Keith Proudfoot, at the annual YENE regional celebration and awards dinner at the Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle.

Mr Proudfoot said: “Thanks to all the volunteer business advisers supporting Young Enterprise in this region, the entrepreneurs of tomorrow are given the confidence and the opportunity to develop their business ideas.”

Mr Spensley, who joined Aycliffe Fabrications as an apprentice at 15, took over the company in a management buy-out with fellow director Christine Bewley 12 years ago. The firm now employs 20 people.

He has been actively involved with Young Enterprise for five years and plans to encourage his staff to undertake voluntary work in the community, as part of a new corporate social responsibility initiative.

“We will also be organising factory visits for local schools to raise awareness of engineering and the workplace generally, as our contribution to the regional skills agenda,” he said.

YENE chief executive Catherine Marchant said: “This is an amazing achievement and Dave thoroughly deserves this award. He is a tremendous example of how business can work closely with education.”

This is an amazing achievement and Dave thoroughly deserves this award