A mother felt like she had “just won Britain’s Got Talent” after she was picked for a scheme to help people over 50 launch their own businesses.

Rima Abboushi, from Finchley, received training help from the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME) to help develop her textile company, Chachoulie.

The 52-year-old’s business up-cycles Palestinian textiles and turns them into crafts and accessories before selling them online, with proceeds going to Palestinian social causes.

She said: “Before taking up PRIME I was and am a housewife with four kids ranging from age 18 to five. Now my five-year-old is in school I knew I could do something for myself other than clean the house.

“I have always loved sewing and making things. Over the last few years I managed to squeeze in a few courses, such as silversmithing, pottery, handbag design and sewing techniques.

“I turned to PRIME when I saw an advert in the local paper earlier this year. I felt like I had won 'Britain's Got Talent' when I was accepted. It was just the lift I needed.”

Her course included three classroom days spread over two months, which included lessons in legal skills, cash flow and business plans.

She is one of nine people in Barnet who was selected to take part in the project, which delivers workshops for people over the age of 50.

She added: “PRIME showed me how to view my craft as a business rather than a hobby and made me analyse my product, target audience , financial forecast, expenses and profit.

“By April my website was finalised, just in time for the presentation of my Business Plan at the PRIME class.”

PRIME was awarded a £30,000 from Barnet Borough Council’s Big Society Innovation Bank to run the course.

During 2013, PRIME organised ten events in Barnet and helped more than 140 people explore self-employment.