Olderpreneur Showcase is a set of case studies of people who have set up businesses later in life. It has been prepared by PRIME (the Prince's Intiative for Mature Enterprise) to demonstrate the variety and vibrancy of older entrepreneurship. "Enterprise isn't just about youth", says Laurie South, PRIME's Chief Executive. "People of any age can set up in business, but it's particularly useful for the over 50s as there are not a lot of other options. Older people still face difficulty finding an employer willing to give them a job. Age discrimination is unfortunately alive and well despite recent legislation."

If the law isn't the answer, what is? While not the complete solution, older people's own energy and enterprise has often come to the rescue. Olderpreneur Showcase documents many such examples. A third of those aged between 50 and state pension age are dependent on benefits. This number is increasing as the "baby-boom" generation comes into this age group. According to government figures 40% want to work, but only 10% expect to be able to (Labour Force Survey).

"Setting up your own business is something you can do for yourself", says Laurie South. "And it can provide you with a viable and interesting livelihood up to and sometimes beyond pension age."

"I do not begrudge money spent helping the young, but even a much smaller amount devoted to the over 50s would have a huge impact", says PRIME's Laurie South. There are hundreds of thousands of unemployed over 50s who appear to have been written off despite having huge amounts of knowledge, skill and experience."

Quotes from older entrepreneurs highlighted in PRIME's case studies include:

"Age means having little choice, so setting up my own business was critical. But it is also more exciting." Brenda El-Leithy, 59, from London who is now running her own hypnotherapy and personal development business.

"It was very humiliating. I had been earning reasonable money and found myself being offered very menial jobs for £5 an hour. I did apply for jobs, but everyone said I was over-skilled." Fred White, 60, from Wiltshire who now has his own highly-skilled business making complex defence test equipment.

"I hadn't focused on trying to make money before, but now I am enjoying the challenge. It has been a huge change, from researching and writing books to running a business. But now that I've started, I would like it to be successful. Sally Walton, 55, from St Leonards-On-Sea, Sussex, who has set up designer bag business Carry-A-Bag.

"The only area where my age might count against me is in sales, because I'm not a brash young salesman - but I don't see that as much of a drawback. I have a nice letter that I write to people and that seems to work well." Graham Siggs, 61, from Cambridgeshire who has his own electrical equipment testing business.

"I could have stayed put, done another 15 years and then retired. But I always wanted to run my own business. I was looking for a greater challenge than simply nursing my pension." Hugo Rose, 53, from Colchester, who now runs award-wining MyParcel.com, which provides pick-up points for parcels undelivered because people are out.

"Taking the step into self-employment has been very good. I am very enthusiastic about the business and I plan to continue with it until I retire, which certainly won't be before I am 65." Trevor Fieldsend, 53, from Lincolnshire, who runs his own computer maintenance business.

"We opened the doors at 4pm and there was no-one there. But by 4.30pm, it all took off and we never really stopped". Karen Spires, 46, on the first day of the Mariner Fish Bar in Grimsby, set up with her husband Errol, 60.

The case studies are part of PRIME's contribution to Diversity in Action project, which is part of Equal, a wider European Union initiative that is looking for new ways to combat discrimination and inequality in the labour market.

Readers interested in setting up their own businesses can contact PRIME on freephone number 0800 783 1904, or visit www.primeinitiative.org.uk. The Olderpreneur case studies can be found at www.primebusinessclub.com