John's work earns him the title Prince's Trust Voluntary Business Mentor of the Year

By John Corness

A ROCHFORD man has just received the Prince's Trust Voluntary Business Mentor of the Year award for the West Midlands.

John Leftwich, 49, has been working for the trust on a voluntary basis for about three years, principally as a business mentor helping young people to kick-start their lives.

"It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done," said John, who was previously vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft, living in Paris and looking after Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

He knows Bill Gates and, perhaps more remarkably, Bill Gates knows John.

"My role is to encourage and motivate young people and give them impartial advice on how to make the best of their business," he said.

He has just helped a young Tenbury folk musician, Jake Flowers, to produce and market a CD of his work.

Jake's CD, "The Rooster Got Laid" is now available at more than half a dozen local outlets, including Books Books Books in Tenbury Wells, Ross's bookshop in Ludlow, and shops in Shrewsbury, Leominster, Hereford and Worcester. The recording has also had extensive media publicity, including radio coverage.

John, who received his award at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham last Friday, met his wife at Ludlow Festival and loves the area.

"I've travelled the world, but you can't really beat watching the sun rise over the Worcestershire hills on a beautiful, misty morning," he said.