Two Redbridge start-up businesses which have won a Recorder competition have been congratulated by the prime minister.

Ilford Recorder: Semina Mogul, owner of Bejewel Me, has won a Local Business Accelerators package of mentoring and free advertisingSemina Mogul, owner of Bejewel Me, has won a Local Business Accelerators package of mentoring and free advertising (Image: Archant)

Future Training 4 Jobs Ltd, Ilford Lane and Bejewel Me Ltd, Cranbrook Road, both in Ilford. have won a local package of mentoring support and free advertising.

As part of the Newspaper Society’s Local Business Accelerators (LBA) campaign, one now has the chance to progress to the national stage of the competition in June.

The overall winner will receive support from Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, the campaign’s national ambassador and star of the BBC Two show, £10,000 from the Business Growth Fund and other benefits.

She said: “I would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s Local Business Accelerators who should all feel extremely proud to have got this far in the competition.

“The first LBA created hundreds of business success stories across the UK and I am confident that we will see hundreds more again this year, as the winners receive the campaign prize of free local newspaper advertising and mentoring.

“We need to do everything we can to support small business owners and entrepreneurs and LBA is helping to do just that.”

Bejewel Me, which began trading in March 2011, offers contemporary crystal jewellery described by owner Semina Mogul as having a “funky, quirky, celebrity look to it”.

Future Training 4 Jobs Ltd, which was founded in October 2011, aims to help people in the area get back to work, and equip them with skills that will secure their working future.

Prime minister David Cameron said: “Last year’s Local Business Accelerators campaign was a phenomenal success and showed what a huge range of strong, growing businesses there are across the country.

“It is a huge credit to the papers taking part that they are offering real support to their local businesses.

“I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Ilford Recorder’s competition and wish them all the best for the national final.”