There is just over a week to go until deadline for entries for Local Business Accelerators (LBA) campaign.

LBA is being run nationally by the Newspaper Society along with regional newspapers.

Businesses between one and five years old are eligible to put themselves forward. The key prizes are mentoring and free advertising in the Recorder, as well as �10,000 pledged by the Business Growth Fund.

In addition, one national winner will win personal mentoring from Dragons’ Den TV star Deborah Meaden.

Mentoring is a key part of the government and private sector’s Business in You campaign, which is supporting LBA.

Business in You was set up to promote the support and advice available to businesses to help them start, improve and grow.

It gives access to more than 110 businesses and, through them, about 22,000 mentors.

Penny Power, entrepreneur and mentoring ambassador for the Department of Business, Education and Skills, said: “As a mentor my goal is to provide the support an entrepreneur needs to stay confident and focused on their goals.”

The overall winner will receive CBI membership, free business advice from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales valued at �2,000, and an iPad from Freeagent, which is also offering a year’s free access to its accountancy software to each of the national finalists.

n Entries close on Friday, November 16 and can be made at www.newspapersoc.org.uk/accelerate-me.