The Richardsons have turned down two offers from major companies to buy their invention, which has won multiple awards
A farming couple in Yorkshire have won a raft of awards after inventing an ingenious water-saving device. Belle and Jason Richardson, who own and run a farm in Pocklington, have created SealStop, a device which automatically shuts off, literally plugging the gap between water usage and water wastage.
After five years in the making, the family has finally launched SealStop on to the market with great success – and they have even turned down offers from two major companies to buy SealStop, insisting their invention is not motivated by profit. The device acts as a portable ballcock, allowing you to keep a tap or hose running and walk away, without the risk of overfilling your container.
It has already won the Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday award, the UK Business awards start-up innovation customer satisfaction award, and the One to Watch University of York Enterprise Award, sponsored by Uber. Co-founder Belle says the invention’s sale comes at a perfect time, now that the region is subject to a hosepipe ban.
Belle, 34 said: “Our invention was born of necessity and, like most of the best inventions, it’s very simple. My husband Jason is a farrier and we live on a small holding with a lot of animals.
“I was forever over-filling the drinking troughs. Jason’s brain is always on and he came up with SealStop. The diaphragm cuts off the water when it reaches the top of a container to prevent any wastage.
Get all the latest headlines sent straight to your inbox for free with our newsletter. You can stay up to date with all the breaking news and top stories as they happen in Hull and East Yorkshire by clicking this link .
“SealStop can also be used in the equestrian world, in farming, for caravaners, everyday gardeners, golf clubs and builders, as well as by people who have hot tubs. As we gain momentum with our sales, we are also approaching retailers and garden centres.
“Our ethos is very much people first and profit second – it’s about helping people not to waste water. So, we are definitely not going to sell SealStop when we’ve only just launched it. We are on an exciting journey and it would be foolish to abandon it now.
“SealStop could not be timelier. We’re in the middle of a hosepipe ban after one of the driest Springs on record. We all need to be aware that we’re running out of fresh water, and we must be mindful how we use it. I’m not saying don’t water your garden, but it’s about how you do it. SealStop is the perfect solution.
“We have approached various water companies, telling them about SealStop, including Anglian Water, who are very interested and have been supportive, and Yorkshire Water. There’s no doubt that our invention could save all UK water companies so much water and ease the pressure on their ever-diminishing supply.”
She added: “According to Government figures, a significant portion of the global population is projected to face water scarcity by 2050, with estimates suggesting that over five billion people could experience water shortages. This is due to a combination of factors, including population growth, increased demand for water, and the impacts of climate change.”
Belle, who worked as a radiographer for the NHS at York and Malton Hospitals before devoting all her time to SealStop, took the invention to Climb25, a two-day business festival in at the Royal Armouries in Leeds for start-ups, investors and policymakers from across the UK and overseas.
On the spot she took part in a Busk Your Business segment and won. She said: “I hadn’t got a pitch, I just completely blagged it, and somehow I won.”
While at Climb 25, Belle met branding expert Steve Edge, the designer of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon who also worked on Raiders of the Lost Ark, among other major films. Steve was so impressed with SealStop that he offered Belle a one-to-one branding session.
She added: “This is very much a family affair. Our sons Oscar, eight, and six-year-old Seb help pack the products in our workshop at our farm. It’s an exciting venture for them, and for us, too. So far we are delighted with our progress – out of thousands of SealStops sold, only two have been returned. This is only the start of SealStop”.