Demand continues to be on the up throughout the region with the highest achievement to date of over £7.8 million lent to support new start, early stage and established businesses in the last financial year.

The loans, all to businesses in South Yorkshire, Midlands and Lincolnshire ranged from £3,000 to £150,000. A total of 264 businesses were supported: 168 of these compromised of new start or early stage businesses, the remaining 104 being to long established enterprises. This lending has helped safeguard over 200 jobs and has helped in the creation of 60 new ones, with a further 250 projected to be created over the next 2 years.

“Access to finance is still a key issue in our region and the FFE team are committed and passionate to support local businesses who want to grow and expand and the record lending we have had in the last year reflects this. We are very much open for business!” commented Andrew Austwick, Executive Director at FFE.