A former Royal Navy serviceman has launched a football-themed dog accessory brand with the help of a start-up loan from the British Business Bank.
Monty’s XI, named for Ed Woolcott’s four-year-old cocker spaniel Monty who died in an accident during a storm in 2024, offers a range of dog walking accessories inspired by classic football kits from the 1990s. The range includes collars, harnesses, leads and poo bag holders in five retro-inspired designs based on classic colour schemes from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Woolcott received a £20,000 Start Up Loan, secured with support from the Start Up Loans programme specialist ex-forces partner X-Forces Enterprise to help the company launch. A percentage of every sale from the range will be donated to animal charity Blue Cross, which supported Ed through its pet bereavement helpline following Monty’s death.
He said: “Creating Monty’s XI became a way to turn that grief into something positive – something that keeps his name alive.”
The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme provides government-backed loans of up to £25,000 per individual, alongside free mentoring and support for new business owners across the UK.
