An entrepreneur, who tamed the intimidating investors on Dragons’ Den, has won a major national recycling award. Rachel Watkyn, who owns a recycled packaging business in Horsted Keynes, has been given the title of ‘Small Business of the Year’ at the National Recycling Awards.
Miss Watkyn’s Tiny Box Company, which three years ago was given a £60,000 cash injection after hardnosed investors Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis backed her idea on the popular BBC show Dragon’s Den, is an offshoot of her original business producing African-made fair trade jewellery. Watkyn said she was very keen not to package her products in plastic boxes that couldn’t be recycled.
In addition to producing recycled boxes and gift bags, the company also recycles its own waste and sends it seconds to charity shops. Any wasted materials are also donated to schools which use them in arts and crafts classes.
Miss Watkyn said she has been delighted with the input she has got from the dragons and now hopes to become the UK’s number one packaging company. She added that winning the award is a great honour and a major achievement for the business.
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