An innovative and luxury outdoor art firm launched by two Little Hallingbury mums is seeking a high-profile investment when it appears on Dragons’ Den tomorrow night (Thursday April 4).
YARDART UK, which was founded by Charlotte Clemence and Bex Lund in 2019, features on the BBC One programme as it bids to secure cash from business giants Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett.
Charlotte and her husband Grant, who is also part of the company taking care of investor relations, will be seen by viewers demonstrating the unique capability of their product, which aims to transform ordinary garden walls into stunning works of art.
The pair will showcase the current designs available on YARDART UK’s online portal and the idea of being able to take your personal art style from indoors to outdoors.
The company offers a diverse array of alternative designs across its collections. The wall art, which is manufactured in Bishop’s Stortford and comes complete with a 3D illusion frame, is completely waterproof, UV resistant, wind proof, fade proof and durable.
With the ability to be mounted to fence panels, brick and concrete walls, they are suitable for every type and size of space, from a small balcony to mansion house garden.
“As a small business that started in the pandemic and being led by two mums who have a passion for art, the garden and the unusual, we hope that the Dragons and viewers of the show will engage with our story when we present on Dragons’ Den,” said Charlotte.
“We want them to love our designs, our passion for the alternative and appreciate the bespoke and unusual qualities that our product has to offer.”
Charlotte, 47, and Grant, 49, grew up in Buckinghamshire and Maldon respectively while 42-year-old Bex hails from Sawbridgeworth and attended Leventhorpe School.
Charlotte and Grant have two girls – Sophia, who is soon to be 13, and seven-year-old Nancy. The couple lost Sophia’s twin sister Fleur when she was just eight days old to a rare heart condition, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), which had been detected at Charlotte’s 20-week ante-natal scan.
They received much-needed support from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) and YARDART UK, which has an official affiliation with the hospice, has raised over £16,000 for various charities since it was formed.
Bex and her partner Lee have three children – 12-year-olds Kate and Frank and six-year-old Bonnie.
Charlotte enjoys getting on court at Bishop’s Stortford Lawn Tennis Club, going to the gym, walking their two rescue dogs and watching her girls do sports, including horse riding at Silver Leys Polo Club in Little Hadham.
Yoga teacher Bex and her family love to paddle board on the River Stort as well as enjoying bike rides and dog walks with their dachshund, Chip. Frank plays for Bishop’s Stortford Community Football Club, Kate rides horses at Brook Cottage Farm in Furneux Pelham and Bonnie loves to sing.
The YARDART UK range presented on Dragons’ Den by Charlotte and Grant will be available on its website and is currently being shown off on its stand at the Ideal Home Show until Sunday (April 7). The ‘Dragons’ Den Edit’ varies from modern to abstract, boho to heritage, and includes the artwork Rosa, a tribute to American civil rights activist Rosa Parks, illustrated by Charlotte herself.
To find out more about the business, visit yardartuk.co.uk.