Funding boost for mobility retailer
A SPECIALIST retailer which sells products to customers who suffer with mobility problems has been awarded £20,000 in funding .
Stephen Collins, from Milnsbridge, has used the money to launch Lazarus Mobility, an e-retailer offering lifestyle-products for people with mobility problems, by creating a website and acquiring a showroom.
Mr Collins – who has cerebral palsy – says his business is different from other website mobility retailers because it stocks additional lifestyle items like fashion clothing, games and gardening equipment.
After receiving the PIF loan, the company went on to impress Duncan Bannatyne, star of BBC programme Dragon’s Den.
Mr Bannatyne promised to back the venture during its first year by paying Stephen’s wages.
Mr Collins said: “I have lived with cerebral palsy for most of my life and have been told many times that there are many things like running a business that a person like me cannot do. However, I’ve not let such negative comments stop me. I was told I’d never get married, let alone have children, but I’ve achieved both so I am confident I can make a success of running a business. If I can make a real success of the business, I eventually want to give some kind of support to help entrepreneurs with conditions similar to my own.”
Ian Howson, fund manager at PIF which has provided the £20,000 loan, said: “Stephen has a good business plan but he’d have found it difficult to get a loan from a high street bank at this stage in the development of the business. Partnership Investment Finance can assist businesses such as Stephen’s to access vital funding in order to get their ventures up and running and you can already see the results.”
Partnership Investment Finance is a £37m investment fund aimed at supporting growing businesses in Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to encourage enterprise and economic regeneration by providing equity investments and loans to eligible businesses in the region’s Objective 2 areas.
