Social impact lender UKSE has created 150 jobs by delivering loans to businesses in the West Midlands.

UKSE Midlands area manager Steve Grice and regional executive Mike Lowe have overseen lending totalling £2.5m to 16 companies on behalf of UKSE since they began work in 2023.

Providing strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1m to generate growth, create jobs and bolster the economy, UKSE’s team based in Keys Business Village, Cannock, supports SMEs across Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Staffordshire and Telford.

Unsecured loans up to £200,000 are also available, often without the need for personal guarantees.

The lender has operated nationally since 1975 and appointed Steve and Mike to deliver investment in the West Midlands to give added focus in the region.

Among the firms to benefit is family business Safe Haven Training, a specialist in first aid learning, which almost doubled revenues in a year since accessing finance from UKSE.

Safe Haven Training, based in Mill Street, Cannock, is providing work for twice the number of people employed prior to receiving funding from UKSE in 2024.

The firm has grown by delivering high quality workplace courses to schools, nurseries, councils and businesses.

They used the funds to invest in a brand-new customer relationship management system, upskilling staff and employ more trainers.

Owner Shane Bryan said: “The investment from UKSE has transformed our business and allowed us to realise our dream of becoming a nationwide training provider, which would not have been possible otherwise.

“Our revenues have close to doubled and we are working with some leading national and international companies, some of which are household names, as we are meeting a niche of focussing on first aid training for clients nationwide.

“Cashflow was always an issue for us but UKSE have been brilliant from start to finish, we could not have asked for better people to help us through the process.”

Married couple Cameron and Elizabeth Wakeman secured funding from UKSE to help them acquire Midland Wire Mesh Ltd in April 2024 when the original owners decided to retire.

Established in 1975, the Halesowen industrial wire mesh manufacturer serves a multitude of sectors including the construction, gardening, drainage and pet industries.

Since the acquisition, Cameron and Elizabeth have grown the business by diversifying its services to include spot welding, metal inert gas welding and tungsten inert gas welding.

Business owner Cameron Wakeman said: “We wouldn’t have been able to buy Midland Wire Mesh without UKSE, so we are very grateful for their support.

“Sales increased in the last financial year, while profits have remained steady. This financial year we are on target to achieve our sales goals and could see turnover double since we took over the business.

“One of our biggest challenges is space, because we are growing, but we have invested in a new mezzanine floor, which has given us another 900 square feet.”

In addition to Cameron and Elizabeth receiving £80,000 funding from UKSE, a further £95,000 was provided to support their purchase by West Midlands and Wales based lender BCRS Business Loans.

UKSE Midlands area manager Steve Grice said: “We are pleased to have helped create 150 new roles through investment to support a range of West Midlands businesses with their growth plan, not only supporting each of them but benefitting the local economy.

“We are grateful to our network of introducers and investment experts who provide us with regular updates on the local business scene so we can deliver on the UKSE mission of enabling businesses and the people behind them to create jobs, grow and prosper.”

Nationwide, in the most recent financial year UKSE helped 105 companies, creating 700 jobs.

UKSE is also marking five decades of dedicated support that has seen over £115 million invested in local businesses and helped create more than 83,000 jobs.