Oxon Businesses Urged To Go For Big Prize

AN Oxfordshire businesswoman is urging entrepreneurs with a new business in the south of the county to enter a competition that she says made a huge difference to her.
Marneta Viegas was the first winner of the South Oxfordshire New Business Competition. Her prize was one year?s FREE use of a furnished office in Hampden House at Monument Business Park, Chalgrove. Marneta moved her business, Relax Kids, there and has been so successful ? including an appearance on BBC TV?s Dragons? Den.
Marneta says: ?Winning the South Oxfordshire New Business Competition was great for my business and gave me a real boost. It?s a great prize and I?d encourage any entrepreneur in South Oxfordshire who really wants to move their new business forward, to enter.?
For the 2006/7 competition, the prize for the winner has been further boosted. They can win a cutting edge business advice package from competition co-sponsors Oxford Brookes University Business School and Business Boffins, plus their choice of either: a FREE furnished office in Hampden House for a year or a FREE virtual office for a year. To enter, the business must have been less than two years old on December 31st 2006.
Monument Business Park owners, Jennings of Garsington, Business Link, Barclays, OxLink, Communities in Business and Nicholson Associates also sponsor the competition. Jennings of Garsington MD, Mike Jennings, says: ?Throughout the 25 years the Park has been open, we?ve always encouraged new businesses to take a place here and we?ve seen many of them grow and take bigger premises. The competition is a great way to give a fledgling business in South Oxfordshire the chance to move to the next level with a valuable mix of business advice and a new office or virtual home at Hampden House.?
The furnished office is free for 12 months and has an equivalent value of