SWIG Finance’s customer Sophie Rearden, from The Tide Climbing Centre in Wadebridge, is amongst the 12 small business owners nationally who have been selected as ambassadors of the Government-backed Start Up Loans programme for 2021/22.
Sophie is an experienced climber and has visited and worked for climbing centres all over the world. She and her partner Sam decided to open Cornwall’s largest climbing centre to combat the lack of similar facilities in the area – read more about their start up journey here.
The Start Up Loans Ambassador programme is in its sixth year, and each year exceptional business owners are chosen as ambassadors from across the UK to encourage aspiring business owners to start their own businesses.
Delivered through a network of organisations like SWIG Finance, Start Up Loans provides hands-on support and guidance to applicants as well as offering ongoing mentoring support.
Applicants can access a fixed-interest loan of up to £25,000 to start or develop their business.
Since 2012, Start Up Loans has delivered more than 88,000 loans to business owners across the UK, amounting to more than £90 million. Of those who received a loan, 35,156(40%) were women; more than 17,700 (20%) were people from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority communities (excluding White minorities); and more than 4,500 (35% of 18-24 age group) were previously unemployed.
Read the full Start Up Loans press release here.
About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is the South West’s leading Community Development Financial Institution. We are passionate about bringing social and economic benefits to people and places in the South West.
We do this by providing support and finance to Start Ups and growing SMEs that can create and secure employment opportunities.
As the South West’s leading delivery partner for Start Up Loans UK, we can provide Start Up Loans from £500 – £25,000. For more information visit https://www.swigfinance.co.uk/start-up-loans/
We also have business loans from £25,001 to £250,000 available to South West SMEs who cannot access sufficient funding from their bank https://www.swigfinance.co.uk/business-loans/
If you would like to have an informal discussion about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to find out how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930.