AccessAble is proud to announce Gwendoline Thornton, founder of Spoonfullness, as the winner of the AccessAble Ignite Award 2025. 

Gwendoline stood out to the judges with her problem-solving skills, authenticity, and mission to empower disabled people in the kitchen. Her business, Spoonfullness, tackles everyday challenges such as cooking, shopping, and cleaning, while giving people the tools and confidence to take control of their nutrition.

Speaking after her win, Gwendoline said: 

“It’s been pretty amazing…I’m really optimistic for the future and just blown away!”

About the AccessAble Ignite Award

The Ignite Award is designed to give disabled entrepreneurs a springboard for success. As the winner, Gwendoline received a 12-month mentorship programme, a cash grant to support their business growth and the opportunity to build entrepreneurial skills and aspirations.

Dr Gregory Burke, Founder of AccessAble, praised Gwendoline’s approach:

“I love that synthesis of good commercial instinct with strong moral principles – I love that about her and her business.”

Hear from Gregory Burke and Gwendoline in the video below. 

 

Meet the judges and the judging process

The AccessAble Ignite Award judging panel was made up entirely of disabled leaders, bringing not only their lived experience but also exceptional expertise in accessibility, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

This unique perspective ensured the process was authentic, rigorous, and centred on disabled voices.

We are deeply grateful to our judges for dedicating their time and insight:

• Dr Gregory Burke, Founder & Chair of AccessAble
• Dr Shani Dhanda, Accessibility Specialist, Broadcaster & Author
• Robbie Crow, Disability Inclusion Specialist
• Sinéad Burke, Founder & CEO of Tilting the Lens

Together, they reviewed an outstanding lineup of entrepreneurs and faced some very tough decisions in selecting this year’s winner.

In the video below, the judges share their thoughts on why they wanted to be involved in the Ignite Award and what drives their passion for accessibility.

 

Celebrating 25 years of AccessAble

The Ignite Award forms part of AccessAble’s 25th anniversary celebrations. For a quarter of a century, AccessAble has been providing trusted accessibility information to empower disabled people and their families.Partnering with over 500 clients and trusted by more than 6.2 million disabled people, AccessAble has become a cornerstone of the accessibility sector. The company’s mission is grounded in one simple principle: to ensure disabled people have the information they need to confidently access the world around them. By delivering the Ignite Award, AccessAble is investing in the disability community, highlighting disabled entrepreneurs who are creating meaningful, positive change.

Congratulations to the finalists

Congratulations to Gwendoline Thornton and all of the Ignite Award finalists.

Alongside Gwendoline, the AccessAble Ignite Award 2025 showcased an incredible lineup of finalists. Marina, co-founder of Fast Adaptive Fashion, is driving change in the world of adaptive clothing. Dylan, founder of Recycle 3D, is creating accessible recycling machines to tackle 3D printer waste sustainably. Beth, founder of Patchwork Hub, is championing disability inclusion through an accessible employment platform.

Each finalist brought fresh ideas, lived experience, and determination to break down barriers, making this year’s judging process especially tough.

At AccessAble, we're excited to see how their ideas and businesses continue to grow and make a difference.