Blind entrepreneur Brandon Hulcoop, 23, has been named the winner of the King’s Trust Young Achiever award at the Pride of Britain Awards after founding All Things Dotty, a business creating accessible products for visually impaired people.
Born blind, Hulcoop faced significant barriers before receiving support from The King’s Trust. He had been unemployed for 16 months and had applied for more than 1,000 jobs without success.
After completing The King’s Trust Enterprise programme, he launched All Things Dotty, which produces Braille menus, greetings cards, board games, card games, colouring books and artwork. He also established the UK Sight Loss Collective, which acts as a liaison between government and public bodies.
Beyond Business: Mentoring and Advocacy
Hulcoop provides free Braille tuition for people on a low income, mentors young people into work, gives talks in schools and serves as an ambassador for sight loss charity Devon in Sight.
Reflecting on his journey, Hulcoop said: “I was feeling hopeless for a really long time, constantly looking for jobs. I kept getting turned down. I wasn’t sure what I was good at or what I was worth.”
“But Mum and Dad, with the help of my dog Bentley, helped pull me out. Despite my visual impairment, I don’t let it stop me from living my life and grabbing every opportunity life throws at me,” he added.
A Royal Meeting
Hulcoop met King Charles at a King’s Trust event in London earlier this month, moments after learning he had won the award. He said: “The King congratulated me on the Pride of Britain award. He’s so genuinely interested, and obviously he hopes I do well. It’s just so surreal. I can’t quite believe it.”
During the conversation, Hulcoop thanked the King for the support of the Trust, which was founded by the then Prince Charles in 1976. He told the monarch: “It’s the 50th anniversary of the Trust, and for me to be part of that journey is immense. It’s a real honour, and if you hadn’t set it up, I wouldn’t have been given those opportunities.”
The King replied: “Well, I’m so glad. Bless you. Take care of yourself. Good to meet you. Many congratulations.”
Award and Broadcast Details
The King’s Trust Young Achiever Award honours inspirational young people who have overcome obstacles with the help of the Trust and gone on to help others.
The Pride of Britain Awards will take place on 19th October, before airing on ITV and ITVX from 22nd October. Further information about the Pride of Britain Awards 2026 is available at prideofbritain.com.
