Dacorum’s Den 2025 Winners Announced

Adrian England, Portfolio Holder for Place (centre) with Dacorum's Den winners, joined by Mayor of Dacorum, Cllr Catherine McArevey

Seven budding entrepreneurs were awarded up to £2,000 to support their business growth after they pitched their ideas to a team of Dacorum’s Den judges.

The panel of judges, led by Cllr Adrian England, Portfolio Holder for Place, awarded a total of £9,300 to fund a range of business ideas that included an illustrator, e-commerce, make-up artist, blinds and shutters and graphic design businesses.

The winners were:

  • Suziey Walker owner of MumBloom was awarded £2,000 to provide marketing support for her mums and mums-to-be e-commerce gifting business
  • Beccy Brotherton Make-Up-Artist was awarded £1,800 for website development, marketing and make-up supplies to grow her business
  • Debbie Shimpton Illustrates was awarded £1,500 to develop her website and develop a social media strategy to develop her business
  • Sean McLoughlin & Tom Templeton, owners of A Smart CV were awarded £1,000 for strategic digital marketing of their new start-up on-line CV consulting service
  • Kaila Merridan owner of Made with Knots of Love was awarded £1,000 for a website up-grade and digital marketing for her personalised gifting business
  • Sophie Barker owner of Studio East was awarded £1,000 for event marketing to grow her wedding graphic design and printing business
  • Joana Parfin & Cristian Nicolaescu owners of Bravo Blinds and Shutters were awarded £1,000 for website and digital marketing to grow their business to the next stage

In addition to financial support, the winners will also receive free business support provided by local experts:

  • Marketing support from Bloom with BB
  • Sales coaching from Sales Geek
  • Free annual membership to the Connect Dacorum Networking Group
  • Portrait photography package from Trent Portraiture

Now in its eleventh year, Dacorum’s Den has awarded more than £114,000 to 88 local businesses, creating additional jobs within the borough.

Cllr Adrian England, Dacorum Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Place, said: ‘We heard impressive personal stories, and we saw invested individuals, partnerships and whole families, passionate about their plans.

‘Dacorum’s Den brings with it the provision of pre-pitch and post-pitch support and development, which makes me delighted to present the award amounts, and celebrate the process. It was clear how much everybody was aiming high, and we felt privileged to see these ideas on their journeys. In some cases we will see them develop and come back brighter, in others, we will watch them fly!’

This year’s sponsors were Beeches Group, Sopra Steria, Sureserve Compliance Central and RSK Geosciences.

To find out more about the 2025 Dacorum’s Den winners visit the winners page on the website.

Looking to apply for Dacorum’s Den funding next year? Sign up to the Business Update Newsletter to keep updated on the launch of the 2026 scheme.

If you are a Dacorum business and would like to get involved with sponsoring this initiative next year, please email the Economic Development Team at Dacorum Borough Council.

Photo: Adrian England, Portfolio Holder for Place (centre) with Dacorum’s Den winners, joined by Mayor of Dacorum, Cllr Catherine McArevey