The event was hosted at the University of Bedfordshire’s Putteridge Bury campus and saw seven groups of young people, aged 19 to 25, successfully pitch their social action campaign ideas to a room of over eighty senior figures from across Bedfordshire, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis and Lady Erroll, the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire. 

UpRising, in partnership with University as well as the Rotary Clubs of Bedfordshire and Luton, held the annual Dragons’ Den event as part of its flagship Leadership Programme.

Hugh Martin, University Secretary at the University of Bedfordshire: “It is organisations like UpRising that help young people see how they can make a difference to their communities, and learn the realities of campaigning and influencing.”  

The winning team, Luton based group ‘Match Finders’, who’s campaign on stem donation focused on the lack of people registered from ethnically diverse background, are also working with national charity, Anthony Nolan. 

Anastasia Isechei a final year Broadcast Journalism student at the University and co-member of Match Finders said upon winning first place: “It feels great to have our campaign so positively received by guests on the night.  We hope in the near future we can live up to their hopes and use the award money to encourage more young people, particularly from ethnically diverse backgrounds, to register to donate stem cells.”

Also in the winning group, Sharon Tyan a third year Accounting and Finance student said: "Winning was a fantastic feeling and really was the icing on the cake as the funds will cover all our costs and enable us to deliver a successful project and hopefully help save lives.”

The Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis also commented: “I was extremely impressed with the quality and enthusiasm of the young people who presented to the Dragons’ Den.  They have clearly benefited from the support of UpRising and are developing into a powerful group of future leaders.”

In all over £1000 in prize money was presented to the young people. All prize money for the social action campaigns was donated by the Rotary Clubs of Bedfordshire and Luton, as well as Foxley Kingham Accountants.  UpRising has been working in Bedford since 2011, with funding from The Harpur Trust, and in Luton since 2013.

On the night, UpRising Bedfordshire and Luton announced that they will be running a new programme over the summer called Find Your Power, which will work with 18-24 year old males from Farley Hill and Luton South, funded through the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation.

For more information about this programme and other opportunities UpRising has to offer, please contact Alex Wrack at alex.wrack@uprising.org.uk