A young woman from Carrickfergus has been named Young Person of the Year at the Northern Ireland Social Enterprise Awards. Sophie Bagchus received the accolade at a ceremony on October 23.

Bagchus became self-employed at the age of 16. Her involvement with Carrickfergus Enterprise began through its Tourism Academy in 2024, a programme funded by the Labour Market Partnership.

During the programme she completed training in customer service, digital skills and the design platform Canva. She was mentored by Christine Watson of Watson Marketing.

In September 2024 Bagchus began providing marketing support to Carrickfergus Enterprise. Since then she has focused on strengthening the organisation's digital presence and promoting its business support opportunities.

Bagchus also completed the New Opportunities programme delivered by LEDCOM. This provided mentoring and a grant to purchase DJI camera equipment, aiding the development of her marketing business.

Carrickfergus Enterprise reported that its Facebook reach rose to 250,600 in the first seven months of 2026, compared with 189,800 in the whole of 2025.

Bagchus proposed a campaign using photographs of previous programme participants and stories about confidence, opportunity and personal growth. The campaign generated almost 30 enquiries.

David McIlhagger, vice chair of Carrickfergus Enterprise, said that Bagchus brings creativity, care and a willingness to learn, and that her work has made a measurable difference to how the organisation connects with businesses and the wider community.

He added that her achievement demonstrates why creating accessible opportunities and recognising individual potential matters, and that with the right support young people can make an outstanding contribution.