The Chancellor of the Exchequer has presented the annual Daily Mail Newspaper Enterprising Young Brits - People’s Choice Award to Dean Rhodes-Brandon founder of Your Local Cinema .com a not-for-profit cinema listings and information service for people with hearing or sight problems. Thousands of people including readers of the Daily Mail newspaper voted for the twenty finalists. Winner Dean was a finalist in the teen category and his company Your Local Cinema .com received the most votes overall. The company runs an information service and website that exists to create awareness of – and increase audience figures for – subtitled and audio described cinema releases and shows. The company has worked with the UK film industry technology companies and charities representing people with hearing or sight problems to ensure that the UK leads the world in accessible cinema. Most popular cinemas now have facilities to screen the latest films with subtitles and audio description (a narrated soundtrack) for people with hearing or sight problems. Speaking at the event Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said '” have been enormously impressed with the talent of the winners and the finalists. They have excellent ideas and also have the enterprise to develop those ideas. The enterprise imagination and determination to succeed of these young people send a clear message that there is a good future out there. It is all to play for.” The event was hosted by the Institute of Directors Pall Mall London and recognizes young people who have turned their ideas into reality. Finalists had to endure a Dragons Den style pitching process and a Q&A session from the high profile judges including Make Your Mark’s chief executive Harry Rich; property investor and star of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire Caroline Marsh; Alex Brummer city editor of the Daily Mail; Homeserve’s Richard Harpin and director general of the Institute of Directors Miles Templeman. Chairman of the judges Harry Rich chief executive of Make Your Mark the campaign behind the awards said “It's great to see people making it in these tough economic times and we hope this signals a bright future for British business.” Eighteen-year-old winner Dean who is profoundly deaf founded the popular Your Local Cinema .com information service and website while still at school. Today he runs the film industry-sponsored service with the help of his family as well as finding the time to study at College three days a week. Dean said “Winning this award will really help to spread awareness of accessible cinema. It's an especially important one because it's voted for by the general public. It shows that my service makes a real difference to people with a hearing or sight problem. As we get older we may all lose some hearing or sight. We may appreciate services that can help us enjoy sound and vision.” Your Local Cinema www.yourlocalcinema.com
