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Leeds-based Creode Agency is expanding with a £100,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire.

The integrated digital marketing agency has used the investment from Finance Yorkshire’s business loans fund to assist in its acquisition of Blue Digital, another Leeds agency.

The acquisition will enable Creode to strengthen its service offering to clients across the Yorkshire region. The agency provides marketing, brand and website development and digital media support to B2B SMEs in professional and financial services and other sectors.

Creode employs 28 people and is managed by CEO Guy Weston. He said: “The acquisition complements our offer to clients and strengthens our broader proposition, particularly in the Google Ads and SEO space which is a growing area for us.

“The benefit for clients using an integrated agency is that we can be more efficient on their behalf – we have the overview of the different elements of work and can keep our focus where it needs to be.”

Guy has ambitious plans for Creode. “There are lots of opportunities in Yorkshire to grow,” said Guy. “Acquisition is a good way to gain additional clients and we would look to do it again beyond the next 12 months.”

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Digital and creative are among the fastest growing sectors in Yorkshire and particularly in Leeds. Creode has a strong track record as digital marketeers and we are pleased to support them in their growth journey.”

Wokingham-based HR rewards and recognition platform, Each Person, is the latest company to be supported by the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator. The company has secured a £500,000 growth loan which will support continued software development and enable the recruitment of 7 local hires in 2023.

Each Person is a leading employee engagement platform which combines the latest technology with behavioural science to help businesses build and maintain engaged and motivated workforces.

The company offers a range of features designed to foster a positive workplace culture and improve employee engagement. These include customised surveys, interactive dashboards, and a range of tools to help businesses measure and track employee engagement levels over time. The rewards offered to employees are sourced from leading high street and online retailers and Each Person is proud to be the first reward platform to offer a Diesel Card which can save employees £200-£300 per year off their diesel bill.

Ensuring people feel recognised for their hard work and talent is vital, especially when recent statistics show that regular recognition lowers staff turnover by 31%.

Matt Norbury, CEO at Each Person, said, “Our mission is to help organisations create highly engaged, motivated and productive workplaces by enabling employers to recognise and reward their people through providing perks at work. A free coffee now and again is okay, but a rewards platform that provides benefits for people’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing whilst also battling climate change is something that really will make a difference to workplace culture. We’re determined to make Each Person respond to the needs of the time which is why we plant a tree for every employee that joins our scheme, give a percentage of our profits to eco projects, and why we are incredibly proud to be the first HR tool to offer a Fuel Card as part of our package. This latest funding will help us continue to push our business forward as we expand and take on even more clients.”

John Gaudoin, Investment Manager at The FSE Group added, “Each Person is an impressive company with a strong leadership team who have already signed major clients such as the NHS, Virgin Active, BUPA, American Golf and Prezzo. They have been cited independently as being transformational for clients and it’s easy to see why when viewing the quantity and quality of what is offered to employees. The FSE Group is delighted to support Each Person as they hire local talent and expand their reach within the HR sector. We wish them the very best of luck with what will surely be an exciting year ahead.”

The Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator is an £11.3m initiative funded by Berkshire LEP. The escalator, includes a Trade Finance Loan Scheme and an Expansion Loan Scheme, providing eligible companies with business loans between £50,000 and £500,000 for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities.

An accountancy firm in Camberley has secured a £300,000 loan from the Enterprise M3 (EM3) Funding Escalator, managed by The FSE Group on behalf of EM3 LEP, to support expansion of the business.

Stewart & Co was established in 1958 and provides a range of financial services to individuals and businesses across the Home Counties. These include bookkeeping, cloud accounting, audit, taxation and wealth management. The loan will support the acquisition of another accountancy practice, including the funding of new hires and working capital needed to service the expanded client base.

Stewart & Co Managing Partner, David Hartley, said: “As a company that works to support other small businesses with their growth strategies, we are well-versed in the funding streams available and this EM3 loan is a great fit for us. Our dedicated FSE Investment Manager understood the proposal from the get-go and was able to offer this market-gap funding where traditional high-street banks could not. We are delighted to be able to now move forward with plans to grow the business further, creating new jobs in the process.”

FSE Investment Manager, Simon Blackbourn, added: “As a financial services provider, Stewart & Co doesn’t fit our usual customer profile but we could see there was an opportunity for business growth that would benefit the EM3 region. With a strong reputation in the local area, high levels of client referrals and a track record of successfully acquiring and integrating smaller accounting firms, the management team is well-placed to maximise this latest expansion opportunity.”

Sue Littlemore, Joint Managing Director at the Enterprise M3 LEP, said: “We are delighted to see Stewart & Co secure its EM3 Funding Escalator loan, which will allow the firm to accelerate its growth plans while securing and creating more jobs. This in turn will help boost the services they offer to help other small businesses develop and grow in our region. We wish David and his team well as Stewart & Co go from strength to strength.”

The Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator is a £10million initiative funded by Enterprise M3 LEP. The escalator includes an expansion loan scheme, a short-term trade loan scheme and an equity growth fund and provides eligible companies with loans and equity funding between £50,000 and £500,000 for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the EM3 area.

A provider of digitally enabled pharmacy solutions to care homes across the UK has received further funding from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), provided by The FSE Group Debt Finance Fund and backed by the Recovery Loan Scheme.

Following significant scaling up of the business since its first MEIF loan in 2021, Remedi Solutions has secured an additional £800,000 in MEIF investment to help boost further growth. The latest funding will be used for IT infrastructure development, premises refurbishment and equipment purchase.

Remedi is transforming care home medicine management by offering a service that dispenses and supplies repeat prescription medicines from an automated hub. Its electronic barcoding solution gives full traceability of prescriptions of medicines from the pharmacy through to the end-user      care home resident, removing the workload and error potential of the prevailing paper-based system.

Kenny Black, Remedi Solutions CEO, said: “This support from the MEIF is enabling us to fast-track our growth and continue to roll out our game-changing solutions to more care homes across the UK, resulting in better quality of care. FSE is continuing to invest in our potential, despite being an early-stage business with limited track-record and we are delighted to be working with them as we continue to grow.”

There are over 500,000 care home residents in the UK and an ageing population means this figure is set to grow substantially over the next decade. Remedi’s simple and efficient one size fits all platform will be invaluable across this largely unintegrated sector.     

Harriet Saunders, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, added: “Remedi first came to us having developed an innovative solution that was ready to launch. Over the last two years, the team has already onboarded 200 care homes servicing over 8,000 residents. We are thrilled to see this progress since we provided the first MEIF loan and look forward to supporting the team further as they seek to modernise processes across the care and pharmacy sectors.”

Mark Wilcockson, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “The MEIF supports sustainable and innovative SMEs in the Midlands – this follow-on funding for Remedi Solutions will continue to drive growth for the company to increase its capacity through new equipment and investment into infrastructure. We look forward to seeing how the funding will boost Remedi Solutions in its growth plans as it reaches the next stage of expansion.”

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2022 and the European Investment Bank. The FSE Group manages a section of MEIF that provides investments between £100,000 and £1.5 million to support growing SMEs across the region. For more information visit: www.thefsegroup.com/fund/midlands-engine-investment-fund-debt-finance.

A specialist bathroom installer for people with limited mobility has secured a £150,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire.

The Walk in Bath Company was established in 2018 by husband-and-wife Jules and Kirsty Allen. Jules has 18 years’ experience in the mobility industry.

The Shipley-based business provides UK-manufactured walk-in showers and bathrooms for customers with disabilities or limited mobility. Design features include a low threshold to make it easier to get in and out of the bath, secure locking and safety grab rails.

The investment, from Finance Yorkshire’s Business Loans Fund, will enable The Walk in Bath Company to recruit new field and service team members, while adding more firepower to its marketing.

Since the investment, the company has seen its sales increase by 20% on the first quarter of 2023. The number of installations it has carried out is up 50% on last year.

Jules Allen, managing director, said: “I set up the business after hearing too many horror stories about people selling products with little care for customer service. There was a gap in the market for someone who puts care and attention to detail first.

“It is not just about selling people a bath or shower. We get to know customers and advise them throughout the process, finding the right option for their mobility and home.

“This investment from Finance Yorkshire will support the next stage of our growth with a mobile-friendly website, brand new TV campaign and the addition of fully employed installers.”

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Within a few years, Jules and Kirsty have established themselves as one of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers of walk-in baths and showers. Their commitment to customer service is well received by customers and we look forward to seeing the business scale-up further.”

Read the article on the Finance Yorkshire website.