AWARD-winning Ipswich juice firm MyJuice was today celebrating another accolade after winning £25,000 at a major business awards event.The Buttermarket-based enterprise was named small business winner at the Edge National Employer Awards at London's Camden Roundhouse last night in recognition for its work with local schools.

AWARD-winning Ipswich juice firm MyJuice was today celebrating another accolade after winning £25,000 at a major business awards event.

The Buttermarket-based enterprise was named small business winner at the Edge National Employer Awards at London's Camden Roundhouse last night in recognition for its work with local schools.

The awards honoured businesses for developing outstanding on-the-job learning opportunities for 14 to 25 year olds.

MyJuice has pioneered its Mini MyJuice brand in Ipswich's Copleston High, where students run their own juice bar, with plans to extend the idea to other schools to encourage healthy eating among young people.

Claire Lander, who runs the business with fellow director David Fisher, said: “I'm just so proud of what we've managed to achieve in just a couple of years and thrilled we've now received recognition for our work.”

Mr Fisher said: “When we set up Mini MyJuice we knew it was a good idea and that it would enable young people to gain experience of running a real-life business, but had no idea it would prove so successful with the young people themselves.

“We hope to use the prize money we've won to enable us to spread the idea into other places in East Anglia and even the rest of the country!"

Miss Lander said: “Winning this national award is a watershed moment for us.

“I'm just so proud of what we've managed to achieve in just a couple of years and thrilled we've now received recognition for our work.”

More than 700 guests gathered at the Roundhouse to celebrate UK employers that are making a real difference to practical learning in the workplace.

Edge, the educational foundation, also awarded employers for a variety of innovative programmes intended to engage educators and learners at schools and colleges through real-life practical experience in the workplace.

Garry Hawkes, Edge chairman and Employer Awards judge, said: “Narrowing down the winners from such an impressive list of candidates was not an easy task.

“Ultimately, the impressive reach of the national winners' programmes stood out from the competition as particularly innovative examples of practical learning that are making a real difference to young people's lives.”

Awards organisers said today MyJuice impressed Edge judges with its plans to educate young people through its Mini MyJuice scheme - a mini replica of its own business model run out of local schools.

MyJuice intends to use its prize to invest in equipment and expand the Mini MyJuice project.