2022
Kate Drury – sustainable wool rope from British farms for seaweed based industries
Wool rope offers an environmentally sensitive alternative to plastic rope, reducing micro plastic pollution and utilising a beautiful natural fibre
Graham Hull – Wool Pots
Wool Pots have been created by Graham Hull and Tom Lind who were horrified to discover that over 500 million plastic plant pots were being sent to landfill in the UK every year because they are not recyclable.
Wool Pots have been created as a viable alternative to plastic pots and a huge benefit to the planet. Read more about Wool Pots here….. https://www.wool-pots.co.uk
2020
Robert Hodgkins & Joanna Franklin (Romney Marsh Sheep Farming)
Robert is a former Nuffield Scholar who, with his wife Jo, farms 800 acres of grazing and 1600 acres of arable land north of London. Two years ago they imported rams from New Zealand carrying the Myomax double gene for faster, meatier finishing which produced staggering results and they continue to build on this success.
Robert and Jo’s work focuses on improving the quality of Romney Marsh sheep wool using genomic markers through DNA testing, to identify which sheep have the best weight of fleece and those with the best quality wool, with the intention of improving the whole Romney flock and ultimately giving other sheep farmers the opportunity to incorporate these genetics in order to sell better quality and quantity of wool.
The Prize will enable them to expand the DNA profiling of his flock of Romney sheep with a documented breeding programme.
Gary Hurlstone (NexGen Tree Shelters)
Gary Hurlstone is the Founder and Managing Director of NexGen Tree Shelters, a company manufacturing totally biodegradable tree shelters made from wool. NexGen tree shelters will replace plastics which are currently used in millions of tree shelters annually.
Working with BMP as a partner in the manufacturing process,Gary’s aim is to claim a significant share of the world market for tree shelters and his vision is to see wool tree shelters replacing plastics worldwide in five years. The prize will enable Gary to develop his company further by launching the first large scale production run.
2019
Sarah Turner
Sarah is the founder of Little Beau Sheep. Little Beau Sheep celebrates the best of British wool through a unique range of hand-made laundry and body care products. From signature wool laundry dryer balls to felted wool soaps and laundry fragrance, the collection offers an innovative eco-friendly take on everyday cleaning tasks. What is Sarah doing now – Click here to read more
2018
Caroline Hodgson
Caroline Hodgson is currently studying for her Master’s Degree in the School of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield following an early career in fashion and home furnishings. What is Caroline doing now – Click here to read more