In a celebrity-studded online ceremony – hosted by TV’s Ant and Dec, and featuring Dame Helen Mirren, Joanna Lumley, Ashley Walters, Idris Elba, Alesha Dixon, Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield – judges commended Kimit’s vision in setting up Seaworthy Consulting, a recruitment firm operating in the global marine sector.

“I’m so proud to have won the NatWest Enterprise Award from The Prince’s Trust,” Kimit said. “I’ve worked so hard since launching Seaworthy Consulting in 2017 and we now work with 82 clients worldwide. Winning really shows how far the business has come and the journey we have been on.”

The obstacles Kimit has faced in becoming a successful entrepreneur have included a late diagnosis of dyslexia, which had caused her to struggle academically at school. She managed to set up her first business selling fashion items and jewellery while studying for an arts degree, and subsequently worked with The Prince’s Trust to develop her ideas for Seaworthy Consulting.

“The support I have had from The Prince’s Trust and its mentors has been incredible,” Kimit said. “In fact, it’s hard to believe that I once doubted that I could run a successful business at all, due to my dyslexia. To other young people who may feel the same way, follow your passion and know the right support is out there.”

Deborah Meaden, fellow entrepreneur and The Prince’s Trust celebrity ambassador, announced Kimit’s victory. Meaden congratulated her and said: “I can’t wait to see what you achieve in the future.”

In winning, Kimit overcame stiff competition from fellow finalists Atlanta Campbell and Rebecca Wilshere. In 2018, Campbell, from Birmingham, set up her business AC Assistance to provide supported accommodation to vulnerable adults who are dealing with issues such as substance abuse and mental health problems.

Wilshere, meanwhile, runs Two Dogs & Co, a maker of products for the pet market. She was inspired to set up the business after her family got a dog to help her deal with mental health issues including anxiety, and Wilshere started to make items such as leads for her friends’ animals as well as her own.

The Prince’s Trust is a charitable organisation which was set up 45 years ago by HRH the Prince of Wales with the aim of providing support to disadvantaged young people in Britain. One of its many achievements is the development of The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme, which was founded in 1983 and has trained and mentored tens of thousands of budding entrepreneurs – including Kimit herself – helping them turn their business ideas into reality.

Support for thousands of budding entrepreneurs

NatWest has a long history of working with the Trust, and indeed the bank’s sponsorship of the 2021 Enterprise Award marked the 12th consecutive year that NatWest had supported this particular prize.

Hannah Little, senior partnerships manager at The Prince’s Trust, said: “The Prince’s Trust Awards is an annual event that celebrates young people who have overcome barriers to achieve their goals, through the support of the Trust. Young people are facing the toughest employment environment in a generation, and now more than ever we need to support young people into meaningful job opportunities and self-employment alongside partners like NatWest. We’re hugely thankful to NatWest for sponsoring the Enterprise Award for another year, celebrating the achievements of entrepreneurs that have started and grown thriving businesses.”

Alison Rose, CEO of NatWest, added: “NatWest is proud of its long involvement with The Prince’s Trust Awards, and our sponsorship of the Enterprise Award over the past 12 years has played a particularly important role in our support for young entrepreneurs.

“Since the financial crisis, young people have been disproportionately affected by a lack of employment opportunities, a situation that has only been made worse by the pandemic. By working with The Prince’s Trust, we have been able to shine a vital spotlight on the role models that the next generation of business owners and entrepreneurs can relate to and emulate.

“We have also collaborated with the Trust on the Explore Enterprise programme, which helps young people develop their entrepreneurial ideas into fully fledged, sustainable businesses. We furthered this support in 2020 by partnering with the Trust to create our Enterprise Relief Fund, providing £3.3m in grants to help young people protect their businesses from the impacts of the pandemic.

“Additionally, the volunteering scheme we operate across the bank gives our colleagues the opportunity to support young people in areas such as developing pitches, preparing for interviews, as well as building confidence and skills.”

NatWest’s support for Explore Enterprise resulted in more than 2,500 young people receiving training and guidance last year. The scheme consists of a free four-day workshop covering the key aspects of setting up and running a business, from obtaining finance to pricing and marketing. This is followed up with assistance in writing a business plan before ideas are presented to the Business Launch Group for a final assessment.

Find out more at princes-trust.org.uk