Sheffield graduates' Great Escape Game a runaway winner

Hannah Duraid and Peter Lecole received the accolade from the Duke at a special awards ceremony, organised and hosted by the University of Huddersfield.

The Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Awards were launched in 2013 to highlight the role that young entrepreneurs play in creating a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

They also aim to recognise the achievements of talented student and graduates who put their ideas in to practice and succeed.

This Award scheme was pioneered by the University of Huddersfield and was originally celebrated purely among universities in Yorkshire.

Each university was invited to select a student or graduate start-up business or social enterprise that demonstrated commercial or social impact, and that had the clear potential for sustainability and growth.

For 2016, the scheme was expanded much wider to include universities across the whole of the North of England. A total 19 enterprises were selected to receive the award this year.

Ms Duraid, 25, of Sheffield, attended the recent presentation ceremony on behalf of herself and her partner Peter Lecole. She is a Sheffield Hallam University graduate in Creative Art Practice and PGCE in primary education.

Their business, The Great Escape Game, promotes a variety of team building exercises that take place through several themed rooms.

Teams of up to seven players have to work together in unison to find ways in which they can escape.

The couple’s clients range from stag and hen nights to team-building corporate development days.