Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
PRESS RELEASE
29 March 2002
For Use: Immediately
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Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PRESS RELEASE 29 March 2002 For Use: Immediately |
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ReefNet, a web design and development company have won the £1000 first prize at the Regional Final of the 2002 Shell LiveWIRE Young Business Start Up Awards, which are supported locally by Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. ReefNet is a partnership company owned by Alex Tearse (29) and Anne Buchanan (28) and operated from Anne's home in Aignish, Point, Isle of Lewis.
Alex and Ann set up "ReefNet" in April of last year and they have had a great deal of success since then, exceeding their expectations in volume of work, reputation and cashflow. ReefNet's core services include web page design and development, database-driven sites and e-commerce solutions, web-based interfaces, server-side programming, marketing advice and training.
To win, ReefNet outshone five other young entrepreneurs from Back, Leurbost, Maryhill, and Barvas in Lewis and Castlebay in Barra . All the finalists started up their own businesses within the past eighteen months. Alex and Anne will now represent the Western Isles at the Scottish Shell LiveWIRE Finals, to be held on 23rd April at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.
Commenting on their success Alex Tearse said, "We are delighted, this award is great recognition of what has been a successful first year for ReefNet".
The four-person judging panel was chaired by Councillor Donald MacLean who
is also Chairman of the Comhairle's Development Services Committee. They scrutinised
each finalist's Business Plan in advance and conducted interviews on the day,
to assess individual business acumen, potential and long-term business viability.
Congratulating Alex and Anne on their win, Mr MacLean said,
"The judges were particularly impressed with Alex and Ann of ReefNet, true
LiveWIRES in every sense of the word. All the judges agreed that their business
has real potential to succeed in the long term. The calibre of all this years'
finalists was excellent and this made our task as a Panel especially difficult.
At the end of the day that has to be good news for the Western Isles."
Mr MacLean also extended his thanks to the three other members of the judging panel who comprised: Donald MacDonald, Business Manager at the Bank of Scotland; Duncan Mackay, Autohire/Motoquip (himself a former local LiveWIRE winner) and Mairi Thomson, E-Business Adviser, Western Isles Enterprise..
The 2nd prize of £800 went to Spotless Cleaning, and the 3rd prize of £500 was awarded to Thistle Spa. Three additional merit prizes of £400 were presented to Lochside Salon, Croft Recordings and Merlin Welding. The awards were presented by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Convener, Alex A Macdonald.
If anyone in the Western Isles, aged between 16 & 30, would like to find
out how to turn their business idea into reality, contact Jane Campbell, Shell
LiveWIRE Co-ordinator, Business Advantage, Department for Sustainable Communities,
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Sandwick Road, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis on (01851)-709271
for further information.
ENDS
Issued by: Jane Campbell, Shell LiveWIRE Co-ordinator,
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Sandwick Road,
Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2BW
Tel: (01851)-709271
Email: jane.campbell@cne-siar.gov.uk
Photographs available on request.