The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity has awarded £50,000 in grant funding to businesses across Leicestershire & Rutland, with 13 businesses receiving a share of the allocation through grants ranging from £1,050 to the maximum amount of £5,000.
The successful businesses include a micro-brewery, gardener, cleaning company, photographers and a variety of food producers, situated in locations all around the county from Leicester City to Hinckley, Lutterworth, Wigston, Oakham, Earl Shilton, Shepshed, Melton Mowbray and Sapcote.
Through the grant scheme, these businesses will now be able to use the funding to support their ongoing development, with the grants enabling funding for equipment, business premises refurbishment, support with marketing and much more.
Based at Friar’s Mill in the heart of Leicester city centre, STWLC provides unique interest-free loans to the value of £20,000 to new and existing businesses in Leicestershire and Rutland to aid start-up or development. Whereas the charity’s interest-free business loans are to be repaid, these grants of up to £5,000 require no repayment by recipients at all.
Ammo Khan, Trustee at STWLC leading the grants scheme, said: “We’re delighted to once again allocate a grant pot of £50,000 to a wide range of Leicestershire & Rutland businesses to aid their growth and development. In total, we received 130 applications totalling over £560,000 worth of grant requests, and while we couldn’t approve them all, we’re very pleased that 13 businesses are set to benefit – four of whom are current borrowers of our interest-free business loans. It’s also fantastic to see these applications coming from all four corners of the county, with businesses from a huge variety of locations in line to receive the funding.”
Matt Woodroffe, Director of Zero Six Brew Co and a recipient of the Charity’s business grant, said: “The grant from STWLC will make a huge difference to our business. We will be able to carbonate in smaller numbers for our products and also offer the added flexibility of canning our products as well. Thanks to the grant, this is something that we can now do ourselves in house!”
Garry Tyler, owner of PGD Modelling & Photography Studios, added: “I am extremely pleased to have been accepted for the grant, which will enable my business to grow. The application process was easy to navigate and the whole process took no time at all. Many thanks to everyone at STWLC.”
Joseph Whelan, a music producer, said: “Receiving this grant has allowed me to bring my business up to date and expand more into the community. As we speak, I am arranging the first free recording clinic in conjunction with The Shed in Leicester. This clinic will be open to all local bands who are interested in recording themselves, or interested in getting better prepared for their time in the recording studio and live performances.”
Emily Halford (pictured) of Innerspace Wellbeing added: “I’m so grateful to be receiving the grant. Buying the equipment to allow my wellbeing business to run online will extend holistic and mental health benefits globally, significantly benefiting three distinct yet interconnected target audiences: those struggling with mental health in the workplace, parents seeking mental health support, and individuals hungry for enriching wellness podcast content.”
Applications for STWLC’s business grants are now closed, however applications are still being welcomed for the Charity’s interest-free business loans, which are available up to the value of £20,000. To find out more, please CLICK HERE