TV Dragon Fires Up Business Venture

WHAT a difference a day makes. Entrepreneur Stephen Collins, who has cerebral palsy, was worrying about how to move his new business forward and struggling to get the banks to take him seriously. Now all that's changed...

A BATTLING businessman, who faced selling his family home to fuel his dream company, has won the backing of fellow entrepreneur and fiery Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannantyne OBE, DSc.

An impressed Duncan, who first met Shaw Trust client Stephen Collins at the charity's national STAR Awards, is funding the Lazarus Mobility MD's salary for a year as Stephen expands his company, which supplies living aids to other people with disabilities.

Duncan has also endorsed Stephen's business plan, offered to help him to publish his book and has added a link to Stephen's company on his own business website.

"I've been through hell the past 18 months as I struggled to get the business moving forward, and then to cap it all a thief snatched my wallet on the high street, just before I had my meeting with Duncan," said the Huddersfield father of one Stephen, whose parents were told he'd never work or get married when he was born with cerebral palsy.

"Now I'm on cloud nine because of Duncan 's support. I'm earning a wage again, I'm off benefits, I've got my self respect and suddenly the banks now want to talk to me. But what means most is that Duncan , whose business acumen is legendary, believes in me, my vision and my company. I'm now learning from the master."

Stephen, 48, has enjoyed careers as an engineer and an IT expert, but when he was made redundant and then had to retire because of ill health from his last job two years ago, he struggled to find work when his health improved.

"One job application after another was rejected," he said. "I'd always had this dream of becoming self employed and decided to go for it. I've used a lot of equipment over the years and I knew I could offer a better service."

He launched his online business www.lazarusmobility.comlast year and is gathering many plaudits from grateful customers. He is also about to sign the lease on a new business base in Huddersfield 's Silver Court.

But he was struggling to spread the word about the business, which he wants to expand to include Lazarus Mobility superstores. He couldn't afford to advertise and three months ago was facing having to sell the Longwood home he shares with wife Sally and 14 year-old daughter Rose.

Everything changed when Stephen's remarkable achievements won him a STAR Award from Shaw Trust, which helps disabled and disadvantaged people achieve work and independence.

When Duncan Bannatyne presented the national awards, tireless Stephen introduced himself and told him about his company. The self-made billionaire, who rose from being an ice cream salesman to heading up the UK 's largest independent health club chain, invited Stephen to his County Durham head office for a business meeting.

"I've met some impressive businesspeople in my time, and heard some great ideas, but Stephen is one of the most driven and remarkable, especially given the obstacles he has faced because of his disability," said Duncan .

"He told me that earning a salary again meant that he could hold his head high, but in truth he already could, given what he has achieved already."

Now Duncan 's support has meant Stephen can also realise another dream - to employ a Shaw Trust client.

"Shaw Trust has done so much for me, and I want to give something back, and help someone else who is struggling like I was," he said.

"That's typical of Stephen, who is truly an amazing man," said Shaw Trust Area Employment Manager Alyson Hall.

"Very early on, he decided he had two choices: to have everything done for him or to live an independent life without limits and his company aims to help others to do that that too. He has never accepted that anything is impossible and through sheer determination has moved from unemployment to becoming a successful business man. He is an inspiration."

Stephen has taken on local lady Helen Sparrow, 45 and from Slaithwaite, who has been his volunteer admin worker for the past eight months, after more than two years out of work as she coped with health issues and depression.

"It has been a long haul for both of us," admitted the grandmother and mother of two, who combined her voluntary work with permitted work as a dinner lady. "It's nice to be earning again but I was proud and pleased to help him out as a volunteer too. He's lovely to work for and so very determined and enthusiastic, which is infectious. I always believed in him and knew he'd make a success of the business."

" Duncan 's support has taken two people off benefits," added Stephen.

"He is such a nice person, as well as being a shrewd businessman. He worried that I might be in trouble if I came off benefits and things went wrong. But I told him that will never happen.

"I am determined to succeed and I never give up. His stamp of approval means a great deal but I made it happen, and that means even more."

* Stephen Collins is available for interview.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further details, please contact Shaw Trust Marketing Manager Sara Lyddy on 07980 733468; PR Officer Becky Gammon on 07779 784901; or you can email: crucialpr@shaw-trust.org.uk

2. Shaw Trust is a national charity, formed in 1982, which helps people with disability or disadvantage to find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by campaigning to change attitudes at all levels.

3. Across the UK more than 1,200 staff now oversee a diverse range of more than 200 projects.

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