ON TARGET FOR 2008 MERSEY JOBS; It's year four of ECHO Kickstart small firms hunt.

Byline: By NEIL HODGSON Industry Reporter

THE Liverpool ECHO today launches year four of our unique Kickstart jobs campaign - with a pounds 20,000 competition to find the region's most promising small business.

We have set out to help create 2008 jobs in the region by Capital of Culture year in 2008 and today we can reveal we are bang on target.

More than 1,500 people are now in work thanks to our drive with the Merseyside Special Investment Fund which began three years ago.

Now we want to mark our big year when the eyes of the world turn to Merseyside by showing what an innovative place Europe's Capital of Culture can be.

We launched a five-year campaign after the city's successful bid for the culture title in 2003 to encourage Merseysiders to take the plunge and realise their dreams by either striking out on their own or expanding their existing small businesses to create even more jobs.

Our campaign is backed by Tony Blair, Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson and easyJet boss Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

A cash prize of pounds 10,000, together with consultancy worth up to pounds 10,000* will be awarded to the most promising entry early next year.

And as we enter the fourth year of our annual competition our three previous winners are surging ahead after distinguishing themselves among such strong competition.

Our first Kickstart champion was Denbridge Marine. Managing director Peter Bibby said: "Winning the 2004 Kickstart award gave the company a real boost, not just in terms of the finance, but also the boost to morale as well."

Fireplace design and production firm Merlincraft won the Kickstart award in 2005 and boss Ron Pimlett said: "Winning the Kickstart award gave us a great boost and enabled us to be in a position where we are looking to the future and have been able to research new products and new market places."

Bootle-based Liverpool Scenic Workshop, a scenery builder which has worked on TV commercials and Kylie Minogue's tour set, triumphed for 2006.

Director Jason Barker said: "Winning the ECHO/MSIF Kickstart award was just the best thing to happen to us all here at Liverpool Scenic Workshop.

"The name of the award could not have been more apt. A kickstart was exactly what we needed. Being recognised in this way gave us a tremendous boost to confidence in our business and allowed us to take on two more talented young people in our fast-moving creative industry."

He added: "We continue to work hard at developing the business and were delighted to recently be commissioned to build a set for Cabaret the musical, a Bill Kenwright production at the Lyric Theatre, London. We are nowon our next projects for the Theatre Royal, Windsor, and also for BBC's Cbeebies."

*The consultancy is provided by an MSIF Mentor and there is no cash alternative. The nature of the consultancy provided will vary depending on the needs of the business and must be agreed with MSIF in [e-mail]

CAPTION(S):

WELL DONE: The 2006 Kickstart awards with Scenic Workshop's Jason Barker and his mother Grace with ECHO editor Alastair Machray, Geraldine McEntegart and all the winners' WINNERS BY DESIGN: Fireplace design and production firm Merlincraft won the 2005 Kickstart award. The winning team with boss Ron Pimlett are proudly pictured at their Bridgwater Street premises' JUMPING FOR JOY: Denbridge Marine bosses, from left, Dr Colin Wright and Mike Dean. Denbridge won the first ECHO Kickstart award in 2004