L-R: Liz Needham of Kendall Wadley Accountancy, BCRS CEO Stephen Deakin and Business Development Manager Angie Preece at Worcester Rugby Club
Loan provider BCRS Business Loans brought representatives from the West Midlands business community together for a successful diners club lunch event.
Christmas jumpers and a festive quiz were the order of the day when more than 70 guests attended the Worcestershire Diners Club (WDC) networking lunch at Worcester Rugby Football Club, in Hindlip, Worcester, on Wednesday (Nov 23).
As well as opportunities to network with business colleagues from across the region, the event allowed guests to meet new additions to the BCRS Business Loans team including Head of Marketing and Impact James Russell and Business Development Manager Naomi Campion.
Hosted by Business Development Manager Angie Preece, who covers the Worcester region, the event saw attendees compete in a Christmas-theme quiz.
With a selection of Christmas jumpers on offer there was also prizes for the best outfits. Liz Needham of Kendall Wadley Accountancy took home the prize for her Christmas tree costume.
Co-operative business loan fund BCRS Business Loans, which marked its 20th anniversary this year, works with companies to enable them to secure loans from between £10,000 and £150,000 to support growth and recovery plans.
Chief Executive Stephen Deakin said the networking event had been a success. He said: “It was fantastic to see so many guests join us for such a positive diners club lunch. BCRS Business Loans occupies a unique place in the region’s economy, working with a range of lenders, business groups, professionals and companies, to support the growth of the West Midlands.
“As well as being great fun with an enjoyable atmosphere throughout, the lunch was a timely opportunity to bring guests together to mark another year of progress by BCRS and create new relationships for future success.
“Our message is simple ‘we are here to help’ and with turbulent economic times on the horizon, our support is as important as ever. Events like this mean we can embed ourselves in the community and spread our message further.”
A social impact study for BCRS for the most recent financial year showed BCRS lent £8.6m to 101 businesses, safeguarding 1,010 jobs and creating 450 roles, adding £45m in value to the economy of the West Midlands and surrounding region.
Of this funding 44 per cent went to the UK’s top 35 per cent most disadvantaged areas, with 15 per cent going to female-led businesses and 12 per cent to ethnic minority-led firms, ahead of national lending averages.
Not-for-profit lender BCRS recently went live as a delivery partner for the new Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) in the West Midlands. BCRS will deliver loans from £25,001 to £150,000 via the government-backed Scheme to support the growth and recovery of businesses that have been impacted by Covid-19.
The Recovery Loan Scheme is managed by the British Business Bank on behalf of, and with the financial backing of, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. BCRS announced earlier this year that it had delivered a record £13.3 million to businesses during the pandemic through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
