Rapid Mobility fast tracks growth after county council funding

A STAFFORDSHIRE company specialising in mobility products, fashion and independent living aids is seeing strong growth after being the recipient of help from the county council’s business loan fund.

Rapid Mobility, which started in Leek and now has stores in Uttoxeter and Stoke,  received a loan from the fund, which was specifically created to help Staffordshire businesses unable to obtain finance from banks.

The loan helped with the expansion of the Rapid Mobility brand, which included moving premises and the creation of new job opportunities.

Terri Connop, director of Rapid Mobility approached the Staffordshire Business Loan Fund, run in partnership with not-for-profit lender BCRS, after being turned down for finance by its longstanding mainstream lender.

“We are grateful to the county council and the BCRS for the Staffordshire Loan Fund as it got us to where we are today. The majority of all the plans we had mapped out have now been made possible thanks to a chance meeting at a networking breakfast that we attended and found out about this alternative source of finance,” she said.

“The whole process of applying for a loan through BCRS was very quick and easy. We were kept informed at every stage and as they say – the rest is history.”

Established in 2005 by husband and wife team Malcolm and Terri Connop, the company has grown to the point it can now claim to be Staffordshire’s largest mobility outlet, employing six people.

The Staffordshire Business Loan Fund makes loans between £10,000 and £50,000 available, but only to viable Staffordshire businesses that have been turned down by the banks.

Cllr Ben Adams, Staffordshire’s deputy leader and cabinet member for employment and skills, said: “I’m pleased Rapid Mobility came to us for support to help their business grow. This shows the broad range of companies which are benefitting from the scheme which is now in its third year and continues to go from strength to strength.”