Awards
The Student Pocket Guide was founded in May 2005 in Norwich. Since the early days; we have continued to grow at a very fast pace. We are a team of young enthusiastic graduates who have recently experienced student life and feel we can deliver what students of today require. We strategically plan all of our movements with 100% dedication in web design and print, whether it is concept, design, presentation or distribution. We believe in aiming high and interview top celebrities, offer excellent competitions teaming up with top companies in order to make us a must read for students. With this focused approach we have managed to find a gap in the market place and have continued to improve which has led to a number of successful business awards which can be found / read below. At this point we would like to thank our team for all of their hard work, our readers for your support and the businesses for their investments in us.
Norfolk and Suffolk Young Entrepreneur of the Year - 9th of May, 2006
YOUNG NORFOLK BUSINESS BECOMES TOP SHELL LIVEWIRE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Bacton names top Shell Livewire young entrepreneur
A 23 year old publisher of Norwich based publication The Student Pocket Guide was today named as Bacton Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 and took a major step closer to becoming the overall East of England regional winner.
Ben Farrin won the £1,000 first prize at the Bacton final of the 2006 Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, which are supported nationally by Shell UK and also locally by Norfolk County Council.
The competition, which has been running for 24 years, recognises and rewards the UK’s most outstanding young entrepreneurs with prizes across the UK, including the top prize of £10,000.
Ben Farrin’s business, The Student Pocket Guide, is a free student publication for students, offering competitions and discounts for students. There is also a spin-of website www.thestudentpocketguide.com.
To win, Ben Farrin outshone other young entrepreneurs from the region who have recently started up their own businesses. Ben Farrin will now represent Bacton at the Central England gala event in Norwich on the 18th May with the chance of winning £3,000.
The UK Final of the Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards will take place in London on the 21st of June 2006.
Commenting on his success, Ben Farrin said, “Being a winner of the Shell Livewire Award is a great achievement for my business and will hopefully help it develop further. I’m looking forward to competing at the final in Norwich in May for the Central award against other Norfolk based young entrepreneurs.”
Congratulating Ben Farrin on his win, Gerry Ford, Shell Livewire’s Awards Director said, “The judges were very impressed by Ben Farrin and his business has outstanding potential. Ben Farrin’s also showed that his enthusiasm and drive makes him a real Livewire!”
James Smith, Chairman, Shell UK Limited said: “Shell UK continues to deliver Shell Livewire because we understand the important role that small firms, created by enthusiastic young people, play in stimulating enterprise. We wish Ben Farrin every success in the future.”
Student pocket guide is choice of 'dragons' 21 October 2006
The Norwich-based entrepreneur behind a fast-growing magazine aimed at students has won a business competition organised by UEA.
Ben Farrin beat off competition from nine other finalists to win the top prize worth £7,500 in the UEA Business Plan competition 2006.
The 10 finalists battled it out in a Dragons' Den-style arena with just five minutes to impress a panel of seven judges.
The panel included John Woods, chief executive of Moneyfacts, James Hunter of law firm Mills & Reeve, Maurice Land,
from accountants Lovewell Blake and Sean McManus, area director of HSBC bank.
Mr Farrin's Student Pocket Guide is a free student magazine published three times a year, offering competitions and discounts. It also includes a spin-off website.
Currently distributed in Norwich and Colchester, the UEA graduate plans to roll the concept out to other cities, starting with Leicester.
He said: "I was just so shocked to win. It was daunting presenting my business plan in front of such a large panel of judges. It felt just like being on the television programme.
"Winning this means I really can take the business full-time and take it on to the next level. We have launched in Norwich and Colchester and now we are looking at more locations."
Mr Farrin won £2,500 in cash and £5,000 worth of support from advertising and graphic design consultancy Creative Sponge.
Second prize, which included £1,250 in cash, was awarded to Speech Games, a revolutionary new interactive football game which is being developed by Norwich-based speech scientist Dr Nick Wilkinson.
Dr Wilkinson has developed a football game which can be played on a standard computer. Users control the players using their voices rather than a keyboard or console. He is hoping to launch the concept within the next year.
Third prize, which was also a cash prize of £1,250, was awarded to Dr Martin Wickham and Mr Richard Faulks, researchers at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich. They have developed the world's first machine which simulates the human gut.
The duo's business Intesta has signed its first contract with food manufacturers who want to make use of the pioneering technology.
Student Pocket Guide also walked away with the Creative Industries award, given to the best business plan from the creative industries sector.
UEA's Business Plan competition is designed to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs from the UEA, Norwich Research Park and the Norwich School of Art and Design.
The competition is open to students, staff and recent graduates and helps to develop and progress their business ideas and kick-start their business.
Launched in January, this year's competition received entries from more than 31 individuals and teams.
Mr McManus, chairman of the judging panel, said: "We were delighted with the high standard of entries and were very impressed with the presentations before our panel. Ben is a real entrepreneur and during his presentation that shined through."
