The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity DOUBLES its grants budget to support businesses in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Having provided interest-free loans to help support aspiring and existing business owners within Leicestershire and Rutland since 1542, The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity (STWLC) has announced that it is now welcoming applications for grants of up to £5,000 to support businesses within the county.
With 2024 being the 60th year of STWLC being registered with the Charity Commission, and following the record-breaking loan approval figures in 2023, the Charity is celebrating by DOUBLING its grants budget to £100,000, giving more businesses than ever before the chance to benefit.
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, offering a much-needed boost during a challenging economic time for small businesses.
To be eligible for consideration for the business grant, applicants must meet the criteria listed on the Charity’s website, which include being aged over 18 and under 45 and currently residing in Leicestershire or Rutland (and operating your business from within this area).
Following the culmination of last year’s business grant scheme, a number of businesses benefited from the Charity’s funding, including Imogen Watt of Wright Studios, who had previously received an interest-free business loan from STWLC.
Imogen said:
“Receiving this extra funding will allow me to grow and develop my business, expand my client base and improve the services that I provide. Through loans and grants, STWLC has helped me immeasurable amounts. To say that they have truly changed my life is no overstatement.”
Another business grant recipient from last year, Chelsey Hubbard of Proud to Clean, added:
“With the grant I am able to expand my team and offer new jobs to local people in Rutland. It would have taken me circa five years to get to the point that the grant will allow me to achieve in just 12 months.”
Ammo Khan, Trustee at The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity leading the grants scheme, commented:
“We are excited to offer our grant scheme again to support local businesses. This year our budget has doubled to £100,000, which opens the opportunity for more businesses to benefit. If a £5,000 grant could help your business, please visit our website to find out more.”
Anybody interested in applying for a business grant of up to £5,000 from STWLC can do so by visiting www.stwcharity.co.uk/business-grants, where you can also find further information on the scheme.
The application deadline is Friday 16th August 2024.
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.
With no interest to pay on loans over a nine-year period and a three-year break before repayments commence, STWLC’s support has helped a number of well-known businesses within the county, including Barrie Stephen Hair whose owner, Barrie Stephen, is patron of the Charity.
For more information on STWLC, please visit www.stwcharity.co.uk
