THE entrepreneur behind ‘Battling On’, based in Callington, has been announced as the runner-up for the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2017.

Nikki Markham, creator of Battling On, a social enterprise which supported veterans to reintegrate into civilian life, went home with £6,000 of prize money.

Following a public vote, Nikki was announced as the runner-up of the award at a ceremony at Old Broad Street.

Nikki was one of five finalists shortlisted for the national Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the 2016/2017 cohort of the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs programme, in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund, and has received the second prize of £6,000 to help develop Battling On even further.

The social enterprise helps train veterans and employ them as mentors and instructors to support vulnerable young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and adults with disabilities.

The veterans help these individuals develop employment and personal skills through an innovative multi-award winning approach which combines nationally recognised vocational training with numeracy and literacy, together with work experience gained through volunteering on local community based projects.