It’s been an incredible few days for Hannah Dale, founder and creative supremo of Wrendale Designs, who last week (December 8) was announced as the winner of the NatWest everyonewoman awards Athena category, which recognises the most inspirational woman running a business that has been trading for between six to nine years.
“I’m totally honoured to be the winner of this award celebrating female entrepreneurs,” states Hannah. “I met some amazing and inspirational women at the awards ceremony so I feel unbelievably proud and humbled to have won. A huge thank you to my team who are so dedicated and make it a pleasure to go to work – I definitely couldn’t do it without you!”
With over 1,000 entrants in the Athena category, Hannah faced tough competition from finalists Nicola Lando, owner of Sous Chef in London, and Monica Ludwczak, owner of Sleek Brows.
“For nearly two decades, these awards have provided a platform to share the stories of hundreds of entrepreneurs, encouraging, emboldening and empowering other women to follow suit,” explained co-founder of everywoman Maxine Benson MBE. “Against a backdrop of covid, these women have shown how innovation and enterprise have helped their businesses to thrive under extraordinary trading conditions. We hope their experiences will go onto inspire others and provide the motivation and inspiration that will be the backbone of the UK’s economic recovery.”
Inspired by the countryside and the outdoor life, Wrendale Designs began life on Hannah’s kitchen table in Lincolnshire. Having studied Zoology at university, Hannah started drawing and painting animals during the long hours of fieldwork as part of her degree, but it wasn’t until 2012 that she decided to combine her passions for art and wildlife and attempt to make a living from her paintings.
The company started out with greeting cards, based on Hannah’s watercolour paintings of the natural world, and has seen exponential growth through expanding its own product portfolio as well as through licensing, most notably with Portmeirion Group’s Royal Worcester on the tableware front.
Over the past nine years, the company has grown to become an international brand with an £8m annual turnover. Products currently include everything from greeting cards and stationery to fashion accessories, plush, jigsaws and puzzles.
In addition to winning the Natwest everywoman award, Wrendale Designs received a Queens Award for excellence in international trade in August 2019 and a Henries Henry Cole Classic Award for the company’s Country Set card collection this year, awarded to a range of designs that have stood the test of time.
This year’s NatWest everywoman Awards were judged by an esteemed panel of female entrepreneurs including Chrissie Rucker OBE (The White Company), Kelly Hoppen CBE, Suzanne Brock (Nutriment), Helen Pattinson (Montezumas), Melissa Odabash, Annoushka Ducas MBE (Annoushka/Links of London), Roni Savage (Jonas Associates) and Rosaleen Blair (AMS).
Top: A delighted Hannah Dale is shown with the prestigious Natwest everywoman Athena award.
