Cardiff film director wins prestigious King’s Trust Award

Nation.Cymru Staff

A film director from Cardiff met King Charles after winning prestigious King’s Trust Award.

Recognising enterprise success through NatWest and The King’s Trust’s long-standing partnership

Daniel McCadden has been named as an award winner at A King’s Trust Celebration, in partnership with TK Maxx

He received the NatWest Enterprise award at the star-studded event at the Royal Albert Hall last week Monday (11th May)

Royal Founding President of the charity, His Majesty The King attended the ceremony alongside Her Majesty The Queen

The event recognised young winners from across the UK who have turned their lives around with the support of The King’s Trust, which turns 50 this year.

Daniel, 27, from Cardiff has won a prestigious national award at a King’s Trust Celebration, in partnership with TK Maxx.  He scooped the NatWest Enterprise award which recognises a young person who has overcome barriers to create their own sustainable business or social enterprise.

The event

Dan was honoured last week at the event, which was an extraordinary, one-night-only event, celebrating the work of youth charity The King’s Trust and showcasing the limitless potential of young people as The Trust turns 50 years young.

Held at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, and hosted by Ant and Dec, this special evening saw performances from an all-star line-up of Sir Rod Stewart, Jools Holland, Anne-Marie, Rita Ora, Craig David and Ronnie Wood.

Before the ceremony, Dan met with His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen who congratulated him on their achievements.

Dan was presented his award by Tom Davis and Fatiha El-Ghorri who joined him on stage.

The night brought together music, comedy, awards, and unforgettable performances and celebrated the courage, creativity, and achievements of young people supported by The King’s Trust in the UK and around the world.

Partnership

Sandi Royden, Head of Customer Propositions at NatWest said: “Our partnership with The King’s Trust spans an incredible 25 years, and we’re proud of the role we’ve been able to play in supporting young people to build the skills and acquire the funding they need to succeed.

“The NatWest King’s Trust Enterprise Award shines a spotlight on what’s possible when determination is met with the right support.

“Huge congratulations to Dan. His creativity, resilience and entrepreneurial drive are exactly what this award represents, and we can’t wait to see what he achieves next.”

Dan’s story

Dan has always dreamed of telling meaningful stories, but after graduating with a film degree he realised that he needed to build his own production company to do so. With no kit and juggling jobs from supply teaching to food delivery, the path forward felt unclear.

Joining The King’s Trust Enterprise programme became the turning point. With mentoring, business guidance and a start-up grant, Dan launched 66 Days, a production company inspired by the idea that habits and success are built one day at a time.

Today, 66 Days creates story-led, authentic content for national brands and organisations. His award-winning short film Benighted has reached over 1.1 million views on YouTube, and his work has taken him across Tanzania, Australia, China, Singapore, Paris and the Arctic Circle, including BBC featured projects.

Dan now mentors’ young creatives, determined to give others the support that helped him find clarity, direction, and something truly his own.

He said: “None of this would’ve been possible without the support I received from The King’s Trust.

“They helped me take what was in my head and turn it into something real. I used to feel lost but now I have clarity, direction, and something that’s truly mine.”

The award

On winning the NatWest Enterprise award, Dan said: “Winning the NatWest Enterprise Award and meeting The King is truly an incredible honour.

“The meaning behind 66 Days has always been about not giving up and continuing to push through, even when things feel difficult. With the support of The King’s Trust, I’ve been able to turn an idea into a real business, and to now receive this award means a huge amount to me.”

Tom Davis who presented Dan with his award said: “Dan’s journey is a brilliant example of what can happen when passion is matched with the right support. Breaking into the creative industries can feel out of reach for so many young people, but Dan has shown real determination in turning his dreams into reality.”

Fatiha El who also presented Dan with award Ghorri added: “Dan had the vision. With support from The King’s Trust, it’s incredible to see how Dan has taken that vision and built something of his own, to launch his own production company and carve out a career he truly believes in – and be proud of.

“May it continue to go from strength to strength and reach even greater hights – well done Dan!”

Helping young people

NatWest has worked with The King’s Trust for more than two decades, united by a shared commitment to help young people unlock their potential and build brighter futures. Together, they support young people to explore business through the Trust’s Enterprise Programme.

Over time, the collaboration has contributed to more than 14,000 young people accessing enterprise support, helping to widen opportunity and enable young entrepreneurs across the UK to build their futures.

The award celebrates this entrepreneurial potential, recognising young people like Dan whose ambition and determination are driving meaningful impact.

Youth charity The King’s Trust gives young people the skills and confidence to get their lives on track. Three in four young people helped by The King’s Trust in the past five years have moved into work, training or education.