Icing on 'The Cupcake' For Carolann

17/05/2011 A young Dungiven woman Carolann Carlile has won the RBS Enterprise Award at The Prince's Trust & L'Oreal Paris Celebrate Success Awards in London last month.

Carolann was congratula ...
A young Dungiven woman Carolann Carlile has won the RBS Enterprise Award at The Prince's Trust & L'Oreal Paris Celebrate Success Awards in London last month.

Carolann was congratulated by HRH Prince Charles and received her award from Christine Bleakley and Bruce Parry. Pop star Cheryl Cole, who attended the awards said: "Today's awards have been incredibly moving and emotional.

"I am full of admiration for all the young people I've met today. Many of them have hit rock bottom but have had the strength of character to seek support from The Prince's Trust and get their lives back on track. I have been truly inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales and the work of his youth charity with the UK's most vulnerable young people. The Prince's Trust is an incredible charity and one I'm very passionate about supporting."

Presenting the award to Carolann, Christine Bleakley said "Carolann is an inspiration, not only to her own children, but to young people everywhere. She has shown that with a lot of determination and hard work, young people can create a job not only for themselves but for others in the community."

The Oscar-style ceremony, now in its seventh year, recognises the achievements of young people who have succeeded against the odds. Among the celebrity guests were L'Oreal Paris spokesmodel Cheryl Cole, who has recently set up her own charitable foundation with The Prince's Trust.

Carolann received the RBS Enterprise Award which recognises young people who have overcome barriers and achieved success in creating a sustainable business or social enterprise.

Twenty-six-year-old Carolann had a difficult time as a teenager, experimenting with alcohol and exhibiting disruptive tendencies. At 17 she was studying for A Levels when she discovered she was pregnant. As life became more stressful she was unable to focus on her studies and she failed her exams.

While caring for her young daughter, Carolann did a drama course but could not find work in her local area. Finding herself unemployed and with a young family to provide for, she decided to explore the option of working for herself, but with no capital or experience she was unsure how she could achieve this.

Carolann heard about The Prince's Trust and approached the youth charity about help in turning her flair for baking into a viable business. A small grant and a business loan helped Carolann to create her business - The Cupcake - a cafe and bakery in Main Street Dungiven.

The Cupcake has become a well loved institution in the town and Carolann has seen her business develop from a pipedream to a thriving business that now employs three members of staff. Looking to the future, Carolann has expanded her business and she has branched out into baking and decorating cakes for weddings and special occasions.

Carolann said: I feel so honoured to win the Enterprise award - it really is the icing on 'The Cupcake'! Being here today and hearing how other people have turned their lives around makes me so grateful for the fact that there are organizations like The Prince's Trust to help young people find a new path in life."

She added "I am so proud that the cafe and bakery I started has turned into a successful business and I hope that my experience will encourage others to think about what they can do to change their lives for the better."

Ian Cowie, Chief Executive, Business & Commercial Banking at RBS said: "Our congratulations go to Carolann for making it to the final of the RBS Enterprise Award. RBS is proud to be helping The Trust support young people like Carolanninto business. Her hard work, initiative and motivation truly shines through and we wish her all the best for the ceremony."

The Prince's Trust & L'Oreal Paris Celebrate Success Awards honour young people who have overcome significant cha

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