THE owner of Wellington business IzzyBee got to meet former BBC TV Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis at an awards event in Birmingham.

Kate Worden’s business, which creates and sends gift hampers and care packages, won the dragon’s ‘Small Business Sunday’ Twitter competition last July.

That made her eligible to attend the SBS ceremony in Birmingham, along with a selection of small businesses from around the UK.

Paphitis, who hosted the event, said that only about one in 200 of the small businesses that entered his ‘Small Business Sunday’ Twitter competition

went on to win.

Kate, who set up IzzyBee last year,

said: “We are always hugely appreciative of Theo’s support, as getting our small business’s name out there and seen is a constant work in progress.

“We got to meet and chat with Theo while being presented with our certificate – and he was extremely support- ive, positive and down to earth. It was a fantastic experience and we heard from lots of other small businesses and industry leaders.

“After the event we received a lovely thank you letter personally from Theo – saying how much he had loved the care package we gifted him.”