The owner of a business set up to boost the health of company workforces has been given the chance of mentoring from business guru Deborah Meaden.

Wayne Campbell, managing director of Banbury-based Health Performance, has been chosen as the entrepreneur to go forward from Oxfordshire into the regional final of the Business Accelerators competition next month.

The contest, which ran in the Oxford Mail, aimed to find the most promising small businesses in the county.

Healthy Performance was one of three winners and has been chosen by a panel of experts to go forward against other businesses from across the Midlands in a bid to reach the national finals and the chance of a year’s free mentoring from former Dragons’ Den panellist Ms Meaden as well as a free advertising campaign.

Mr Campbell said: “I am absolutely delighted – when I entered the competition I never expected to win let alone go further.”

Already Mr Campbell is enjoying the benefits of being an Oxfordshire winner having landed a three month advertising campaign worth £4,500 in Newsquest Oxfordshire titles, publishers of the Oxford Mail, along with mentoring from Brendon Cross, managing director of Witney-based telecommunications firm STL Communications.

Mr Cross said: “I have been really impressed with Wayne. He really is together and is managing to grow his business without any debt or overdraft.

“Healthy Performance has the potential for strong growth on a nationwide basis and in a sector that Ms Meaden knows about.”