A Darlington woman who stumbled upon a wool shop while out walking, joined its staff, then bought the business, has been chosen to champion new entrepreneurs across the region, reports Group Editor Andrew Palmer.

Hannah Hazledine-Herd, owner of Pretty Knits Wool Shop, has been named the 2026 Start Up Loans Ambassador for the North East, recognising how she turned a lifelong love of fibre crafts into a growing local enterprise.

She had long wanted to work in a wool shop. After moving to the area during maternity leave, she came across Pretty Knits on a walk, took a part-time job there in June 2023 and, within months, was offered the chance to take it over.

Backing came in February 2024 through the government-supported Start Up Loans programme, with a second loan following later. Both were arranged with help from the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF), the programme’s business support partner, and paid for stock, shop fittings and new equipment as she settled into ownership.

Since then the shop, which sells wool, yarn and knitting supplies alongside a laundry service, has gained a website now delivering to around 70 per cent of UK postcodes. Closer to home, a weekly Craft & Chat group draws local customers together over needles and conversation.

The programme has now provided almost £70 million to start-up and early-stage founders in the North East. Its Ambassador scheme, running for more than a decade, picks one entrepreneur from each of the UK’s 12 nations and regions, plus two representing specialist groups: a Gen Z founder and an Armed Forces veteran.

Asked for a single piece of advice for anyone starting out, Mrs Hazledine-Herd said: “Running a business can sometimes feel like there’s always something else you should be doing, but I’ve learnt that you don’t need to have all the answers from the start. Being willing to ask for help, learn from others, and take things one step at a time can make a huge difference.”

Taking on Pretty Knits, she added, had been a steep education in running and growing a business, and the loan had given her the support she needed to make the leap.

For Tim Burt, Head of Start Up Loans at BEF, the community she has gathered around the shop is what stands out. “Thousands of people across the UK dream of becoming their own boss,” he said. “Hannah has demonstrated that it’s more than possible, with the right support.”

Louise McCoy, Managing Director of Start Up Loans at the British Business Bank, said founders like her showed what practical help, belief and access to finance could achieve.

Small Business Minister Lord Leong noted that the scheme has now helped more than 100,000 entrepreneurs launch businesses, with benefits reaching families, communities and the wider economy.

The new Ambassadors will be celebrated at a launch event this week before beginning a year sharing their experience with current and would-be founders. Established names are lending a hand too, with the bosses of DASH Water, Oddbox and MAGIC AI offering their own counsel on persistence, authenticity and sheer grit.

For Mrs Hazledine-Herd, the lesson is simpler. Sometimes the best business plan begins with a walk round the block.

Details of how to apply are at startuploans.co.uk