Lucy and Sarah in Oxford

CHARITY RECEIVES FUNDS TO PROVIDE INTEREST-FREE LOANS IN 2025

by News

Representatives from Leicester’s The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity attended the annual Sir Thomas White Charity distribution lunch at St John’s College, Oxford, on Thursday 16 January 2025; an event which sees funds distributed to individual charities under the Sir Thomas White banner.

STWLC were the grateful recipients of a cheque for a funding allocation which is to be added to the Charity’s existing fund and be used to provide interest-free business and postgraduate education loans to people aged over 18 and under 45 in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

In attendance on behalf of Leicester’s Sir Thomas White Loan Charity for this year’s distribution lunch were Lucy Womack, Chair of STWLC, and Sarah Hope, Operations Manager and Clerk to Trustees at STWLC.

Speaking after the event, Lucy Womack said: “We are very grateful to have received this allocation of funding to help us support more young entrepreneurs and students throughout 2025.

“Over the last two years we have approved over £1M in interest-free loans to people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, which we are incredibly proud of. However, our efforts certainly don’t end there, as this year we’re determined to increase awareness of the Charity even further and tell more people about our unique offer.

Lucy signing

“If you require funds to start a new business, grow a business further, or return to university for postgraduate education, I strongly urge you to consider our interest-free loans – it could be the best decision you ever make!”

To find out more about the interest-free business and education loans available to 18-45s in Leicestershire and Rutland, please click onto our business loan or education loan website pages and complete our contact form.

2024 total infographic

CHARITY AWARDS OVER HALF A MILLION IN INTEREST-FREE LOANS

by News

The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity [STWLC] has approved £175,000 in interest-free business and education loans in the final quarter of 2024 – taking the total approval amount for the year up to £545,600.

In the final quarter of 2024, STWLC approved one education loan to the value of £10,000 to support postgraduate studies at university, and 11 business loans totalling £165,000, with recipients including a barber, landscape gardener, bakery, financial adviser and an artist.

“2024’s total of £545,600 is a huge positive in its own right and will go a long way to supporting the business and education aspirations of many young people in the county”

Lucy Womack, Chair of STWLC

That means that 33 interest-free business loans totalling £495,600 were approved in total in 2024, in addition to five interest-free education loans to the total of £50,000.

Lucy Womack, Chair or STWLC, said: “We’re delighted to be ending the year with the news of over half a million pounds in interest-free loans being approved by the Charity in 2024.

“Last year, we broke a record and raised the bar with our approval amount, and knew that would be hard to follow this year, but 2024’s total of £545,600 is a huge positive in its own right and will go a long way to supporting the business and education aspirations of many young people in the county.

“If you’re eyeing up a new business idea for 2025, or want to return to university to study a postgraduate course, head over to our website to see how our interest-free loans can help. 71% of people we interviewed this year received loans, so there’s no reason why you can’t be next!”

Established in 1542, STWLC hosts quarterly application windows each year in which people aged over 18 and under 45 can apply for unique interest-free loans of up to £20,000 to aid local businesses, or £10,000 to support students wishing to return to postgraduate education. The Charity’s loans are interest-free for nine years, and become repayable by equal instalments after three years.

Application packs are available to download upon completion of a contact form on our website. Please follow the tabs above for either ‘business’ or ‘education’.

The next deadline for applications is 3.30pm on Tuesday 7 January 2025.

Business loan borrower Leicester

GEORGIE ANSELL: BUILDING A STRONG BUSINESS

by Business Success StoriesNews

“Life is about living and you work for the majority of it, so why not do something you love!” 

These wise words come from Georgie Ansell, who is proof that following a passion for a career can be hugely satisfying and rewarding, with her business, Georgie Ansell Personal Training, now thriving thanks in part to our interest-free business loan. 

Georgie grew up in Rutland with her mum, dad and brother and returned to the county soon after completing an undergraduate degree in Leeds. 

“I then travelled South East Asia, which was one of the most amazing experiences,” Georgie explained. 

“I came back from travelling and decided I wanted to have a career as a PA, so I started working as a receptionist for land developers and worked my way up to being a PA for the COO of the company.” 

While doing this job, Georgie found her love for fitness and having travelled around Australia for six weeks, she decided to take the brave step of changing her career path. 

“I soon left the PA role and trained to be a personal trainer,” she continued.  “During my training I had a full-time job caring for the elderly in Rutland, which was really rewarding.  I have been a qualified PT for just over six years, but running it as a full-time business for 20 months.”

Unlike most other gyms, Georgie Ansell Personal Training provides a small, intimate and comfortable setting for people to train.

“My personal training business offers one-to-one and small group sessions in a private gym based just outside of Oakham, Rutland. The space is unique as its only me and the person training. It takes away the big gym environment and provides a space they can feel comfortable in.” 

“I did some research as I wanted to expand my business,” Georgie reflected when recounting STWLC’s role in her entrepreneurial story.

“The interview was great, the Trustees put me at ease and were very supportive through the whole process.” 

Georgie Ansell

“It was then while searching the web for loans that I came across STWLC. I found the process straight-forward. The business plan gets provided so you know what you need to include. The interview was great, the Trustees put me at ease and were very supportive through the whole process.” 

Once Georgie’s interest-free business loan was approved, she quickly went about putting the funds to good use.

“I used the funds to renovate part of an old chicken shed so I could use it as a private gym space,” Georgie continued. 

“I was also able to purchase equipment for the gym. I bought two sets of cardio machines, a rig, with a squat rack, pull up bar and pulley machine, plus barbells, dumbbells, storage units and much more functional fitness equipment. I also purchased a laptop for admin.”

Finishing with a final word on STWLC’s impact, Georgie put it simply:

“I wouldn’t be in the position I am with my business without them!”

To make an enquiry to Georgie Ansell Personal Training, please email: info@georgieansellpersonaltraining.co.uk 

For more information on our interest-free business loans, available up to £20,000 over a nine-year period with no repayments required in the first three years, please click here

117 500

LOCAL BUSINESSES RECEIVE SHARE OF £117,500 IN INTEREST-FREE LOANS

by News

The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity (STWLC) has announced that seven interest-free loans were awarded to businesses within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland in the first quarter of 2024.

Six interest-free business loans totalling £107,500 were approved to support a variety of local businesses including a gym, café and an arboriculture company, while one existing business loan borrower received a £10,000 top-up loan from the Charity, taking the total quarterly approval amount to £117,500.

Established in 1542, STWLC hosts quarterly application windows each year in which people aged over 18 and under 45 can apply for unique interest-free loans of up to £20,000 to aid local businesses, or £10,000 to support students wishing to return to postgraduate education. The Charity’s loans are interest-free for nine years, and become repayable by equal instalments after three years.

Lucy Womack, Chair of STWLC, said: “After finishing 2023 with record-breaking numbers, we’re delighted to start the first quarter of 2024 by approving £117,500 in interest-free loans to support local businesses across the county.

“We’ve often been described as the ‘best kept secret in Leicestershire’, but I think it’s safe to say that the secret is out now! We’re so pleased that more and more people are finding out about our unique offer and coming forward to apply for interest-free loans.

“If you need money to start or grow your business, or to return to university for postgraduate education, please get in touch!”

Application packs are available to download upon completion of a contact form on our website.

The next deadline for applications is 3.30pm on Thursday 4 April 2024.

[Pictures are Copyrighted to Beth Walsh Photography] 1284 Ltd

RAPID GROWTH FOR 1284 AFTER LOAN SUPPORTS STRATEGIC MARKETING CAMPAIGN

by Business Success StoriesNews

Strategic communications consultancy 1284 has won two leading industry awards – including a national prize – after receiving its interest-free business loan from The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity.

The Loughborough-based company also hit its annual revenue target with six weeks to spare after investing the loan in a marketing campaign.

1284’s consultants are now looking at what comes next. A long-term business strategy is close to completion, while a new budget aims to increase annual income by 50% by March 2025.

1284 founder George Oliver received a £15,000 loan in April 2023. It was divided between a new CRM, website updates, launch of a newsletter, print collateral, trade shows, industry accreditations, targeted sponsorship, and other strategic marketing activity.

It also funded a partnership to relaunch the Leicester Riders Business Club, which meets quarterly and has since gone from strength to strength.

The marketing investment helped gain a host of new clients, supporting the recruitment of two experienced consultants, and further developing 1284’s network of specialist associates.

“Our experience with The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity has been excellent,” said former Leicester Mercury Editor, George.

“It was a simple, well-organised application process which enabled us to accelerate what we were doing and fund new ways of telling our own story.

“The result was another 12 months of good growth, giving us the confidence to recruit more consultants and continue developing our client portfolio.”

Former Leicestershire Local Democracy Reporter, Amy Orton, joined as Account Director last Spring. Former Staffordshire Sentinel Editor, Richard Bowyer, was recruited in the Autumn as Content Editor after several years with the University of Derby.

They bring significant experience of communications leadership in multi-stakeholder organisations, ranging from councils to hospitals. That experience helps 1284 deliver communications strategies for people developing innovative products and services.

It works with clients who have complex stories, finding clear ways to tell them. Examples include:
• increasing public awareness of Government-funded programmes
• contextualising organisational restructures
• engaging with diverse groups of stakeholders
• chairing multi-agency comms groups
• setting out the benefits of investment.

The work of 1284, which was founded in 2020, is underpinned by voluntary positions at a number of regional growth organisations. George is Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Leicester, and a volunteer mentor at Leicester Startups.

In December he was elected to the Board of East Midlands Chamber. He was recently made a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting.

In June, 1284 won the Silver Award for Independent PR Practitioner of the Year at the CIPR’s Excellence Awards. Staged in London, it is the UK industry’s leading prize night.

Two months later it won the Silver Award in the CIPR’s fiercely-contested Midlands Small PR Consultancy of the Year.

Both awards recognised 1284’s work in communicating East Midlands small business innovation.

“It’s been a year in which 1284 moved from startup to growth business,” added George.

“All of that has been supported by Sir Thomas White Loan Charity’s belief in what we are trying to achieve.”

For more information about 1284, visit www.1284.co.uk, email info@1284.co.uk or sign up for its monthly newsletter.

To find out more about The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity’s interest-free business loans, which are available up to the value of £20,000, interest-free for nine years, please click here.