Hayley Grindon from Stoke-on-Trent has received over £7,000 of business support after winning the 2014 Dulux Decorator Centre Pitch2Win competition.

The initiative, which launched this year, was set up by Dulux Decorator Centre to encourage and support entrepreneurship within the painting and decorating industry.

As the winner, Ms Grindon received a cash prize of £2,000 to purchase business-related items, ongoing mentoring, 12 months of business and accounting support, free entry onto six Dulux Trade courses, marketing and PR support, plus a full set of personalised workwear. Second and third placed contestants also received a host of prizes for their achievements.

Organiser of the competition and Dulux Decorator Centre’s marketing manager, Beverley Whitehead, said: “The more training opportunities and support for start-ups we can provide the more we can help the industry thrive. The idea behind the competition is to provide a pool of resource and support to ambitious entrepreneurs wanting to take that step and launch a successful painting and decorating enterprise.”

Having successfully made it through the initial shortlisting process, Ms Grindon, who is currently finishing her NVQ Level 3 at Stoke-on-Trent College, suitably impressed a panel of industry experts with her business pitch. The ‘Dragons’ Den’-inspired final was held at AkzoNobel’s new paint manufacturing headquarters in Ashington. Ms Grindon said: “I’m absolutely astounded, I didn’t think I would place let alone come in first place. I am really happy and just want to thank Dulux Decorator Centre for giving me this opportunity. I am already thinking how to spend the money and top of my list is to buy a projector.”