Myleene Klass surprises Bedford mum with eBay £20k grand prize

Starting her business from her mother’s veranda in Uganda with just £80 in savings, Patricia Otoa Ayo never imagined her business would take off.

But take off it has and the Bedford mother and owner of OP Chic Boutique has been awarded the overall grand prize winner in the eBay for Business Awards on a surprise Zoom call with TV presenter, Myleene Klass WATCH HERE

The eBay’s ‘Big Feels’ grand prize award celebrates the best in small business and the winner has been awarded with a £20,000 prize.

After telling Patricia she had won the grand prize, Myleene revealed “I’ve got my eye on one of your blazers.”

Patricia started her business in Uganda with just £80 in savings. With a vision of combining quality, traditional fabrics with modern western designs, OP Clothing was created in 2011. In 2015, Patricia moved to the UK and started selling clothes on eBay.

Her new venture has made it possible for Patricia and her family to move from a one-bedroom flat to a three-bedroom house in Bedford and has given her the freedom and flexibility to care for her son and invest time and energy into her online boutique.

Patricia said: "Winning this award is so special to me and it was a complete surprise. And for Myleene to deliver the good news was extra special. I once started out with £80 and now with the prize money I believe I can make millions of pounds.

"So I hope that there will be women out there reading my story who feel inspired to set up their own business, and not let anything get in their way. Women can achieve great things, especially with other women’s support."

Myleene said: “Surprising Patricia to let her know she’d won the grand prize was such a pleasure, it was truly amazing to see her reaction to winning and understand what a difference the money is going to make to her."