Hairdresser turns entrepreneur and wins top award for new invention

April 18, 2013 - PRLog -- A hairdresser has turned inventor and won a top award for her unique  pushchair. She’s developed the world’s first sit, stand, walk within children’s pushchair, the Urban FreeWalker, which promotes safe active travel for children and helps health conscious parents hit the latest health professional targets for their toddlers.

Julie Devenney who lives in Preston but owns the salon Berengers Hair & Beauty on Halliwell Rd in Bolton spent the last 5 years perfecting the product. It is a unique style buggy that allows the child to sit, stand and walk all within the confines of the pushchair, keeping the child safe and secure at all times.

Julie came up with the idea when her own daughter was a toddler and didn’t like being constrained in her pushchair. The only option was to push an empty stroller while walking and holding her daughter’s hand.

Julie entered the concept for the product into the BPA (Baby Products Association) which was held at the Harrogate Nursery Fair, one of the biggest trade shows in the world. More than 120 applicants entered the first stage with the second round being a Dragon’s Den style presentation in London where she won a stand at the Harrogate Nursery Fair to showcase her product to the industry.

The BPA says: “In 2013 the winner of the BPA Concept Award was Julie Devenney with the Urban FreeWalker. The judges were impressed with this very unique concept which has not been seen before and is certainly not available on the market combining a regular pushchair with an integral ride-on standing platform and a restricted area in which the child can walk without the fear of being separated from the carer.”

Julie added: “I was delighted to win such a prestigious award and it’s an honour to be chosen against such stiff competition. Winning has given the Urban FreeWalker a great endorsement and huge exposure I would not otherwise be able to access. Exhibiting on the BPA stand has been invaluable with overwhelming interest from retailers and distributors, not only from the UK, but France, South Africa and USA. It is my intention to attract sufficient investment to take my product to market.”

Julie is now looking for an investor with the relevant background experience to be able to take the product to market and make it a commercial success.