News

Hampshire based Online Safety have secured a £70,000 growth loan to further develop their web-based education and training platform which helps to keep children safe online.

Lee Hayward established Online Safety (OSUK) in 2018, bringing with him safeguarding experience and a passion for the subject. His drive comes from days spent as a police officer where he delivered tailored and specialised training on how to keep children safe online. Lee wanted to impart this knowledge further afield to a wider audience and realised that he had identified a need to not only progress online safety education to help families and school settings, but to educate any professionals or adults involved in that child’s network. All of this work has one aim: to help adults work together to better protect children whilst they are online.

Families can access OSUK’s age-specific web-based products which contain a vast library of self-help information and useful bitesize videos. These help people to easily learn about online safety together in a clear and concise way. This gives families confidence and a basic level of understanding in relation to online safety.

OSUK is also committed to training and educating schools for at least a year with face-to-face sessions and monthly calls, keeping teachers upskilled with the most current safety information. Likewise support service professionals can work with OSUK to attend online events and courses to help them put together bespoke packages to assist and support any families with whom they work.

Lee Heywood, Founder and Director of Online Safety, commented: “When I established OSUK, my vision was clear: to bring the right people together, to improve confidence and ability for everyone operating in the fast-paced digital world by increasing their understanding of the topic so that children could be better safeguarded. The funding received from the Enterprise M3 Expansion Loan Scheme will be used to market the roll-out of the premium subscription service, scheduled for this year and will also include the appointment of new employees to support this. I would like to extend my thanks to James at The FSE Group who guided me through the process to secure the funding.”

James Edwards, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, which manages the EM3 Expansion Loan Scheme on behalf of Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), added: “In Lee, OSUK has a committed director with excellent sector knowledge and contacts. The service offered to schools is far superior to the few others that are available and as a result the company has a growing revenue stream from its services to schools and local authorities, with a customer retention rate at over 90%. With the recent addition of its app, the company is well-positioned to take advantage of the strong growth prospects in this expanding market and we look forward to working with Lee to help him achieve these goals.”

Kathy Slack, Director, Enterprise M3 LEP, comments: "Knowing how to keep children safe online is a worry for any parent, particularly given the wide use of gaming and home study tools now available. This innovative platform will play an important part in safeguarding young people and I’m delighted that Enterprise M3’s expansion loan scheme could help. It’s fantastic to see businesses such as Lee’s growing and attracting new employees, especially given the strong and growing pool of people with advanced digital skills in the EM3 area.”

THE POT KILN (Est.2005) is a destination Country Inn and Rustic Restaurant offering rural chic dining and seasonal menus of hearty and wholesome dishes. Set in a conservation area of outstanding natural beauty and on The Lord Iliffe’s Yattendon Estate, the Pot Kiln enjoys unrivalled access to nine thousand acres of woods and farmland with a nutritious wild food larder of game and seasonal foraging at its kitchen door. The Pot Kiln partners, Katie and Rocky, share a compassionate ideology to avoid produce from intensive farming practices and so promote respect and care for nature’s plants, animals and landscape.

While closed in 2019 for nine months and a £1.5 million renovation, a further twelve months of enforced closures followed, nevertheless, business has soared to a ten-year high. Strategic diversification has led to new revenues from ten en-suite guest rooms, venue hire for weddings and TV companies, an annual programme of cultural events, rural courses and members’ subscriptions from its dining club chaired by Raymond Blanc OBE. This month, following eighteen years of consistent five-star national media coverage and awards, the Pot Kiln has received a Michelin Good Cooking Plate Award and with reviews from millions of TripAdvisor travellers, a listing in the 10% of Top Restaurants Worldwide.

Back in 2019, The FSE Group, through the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator supported the business with expansion finance to expand its business and operations.

“It is fantastic to see the Pot Kiln thriving as we ease out of COVID-19 restrictions. The hospitality trade has been hit hard by the pandemic, with many restaurants and venues closing. But a loyal customer base and beautiful renovations have enabled the Pot Kiln to exploit its unique location and expand into a real multi-revenue enterprise. Encouraging times are ahead for Katie and Rocky - we look forward to watching their vision grow as they seek to establish a venue of culinary and cultural distinction.” Cheryl Weeks – The FSE Group / Head of Funds South-East

For more information about The Pot Kiln visit: https://www.potkiln.org/

For more information about The FSE Group and the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator visit: https://www.thefsegroup.com/fund/thames-valley-berkshire-funding-escalator/

A Coventry-based trampoline park has received a £300,000 loan for the purchase of additional equipment and a new inflatable park section.

Red Kangaroo secured the finance from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), provided by The FSE Group, Debt Finance Fund and backed by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

This finance will allow the Coventry based park to strengthen its facilities, offering more activities for young people in the area. The additional equipment will also enable it to create a layout that follows government guidelines which adheres to social distancing. The park’s reopening is restoring around 40 jobs across the park.

Red Kangaroo is a large trampoline park, offering fun activities for children of all ages. It encompasses foam pits, a wipeout zone, an air bag and a mega slide, as well as the new inflatable park.

Paul Wrightman, Red Kangaroo Founder, said: “Following a fire that put the park out of action in 2018, our re-fit was put on hold last year due to coronavirus. This funding has enabled us to complete the work on the park and create an exciting new area to offer even more variety.

“To ensure we can offer the safest environment for our staff and customers, we have increased activities and put Covid-secure measures in place. We are grateful for The FSE Group’s support in taking us through the funding process and helping us secure the loan.”

Since the opening of the first indoor parks in 2014, trampolining has become one of the UK’s fastest growing sport and leisure trends. Red Kangaroo is ready for a projected rise in visitors over the coming months. Demand has remained high through the periods between lockdowns and with its increase in the range of activities on offer.

Chirag Mistry, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, which manages the MEIF Debt Finance Fund, adds: “Paul has extensive knowledge in the leisure industry and is a very committed and passionate owner. He has created an offering that meets the demands of customers seeking Covid-safe activities, as demonstrated by the high level of booking enquiries received prior to reopening. Due to the current restrictions placed on foreign holidays, I am sure that Red Kangaroo is likely to be a popular venue during the six-week summer holidays. We look forward to working with Paul and seeing how the next stage of his journey goes as he reopens.”

Ryan Cartwright, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank said: “The investment from the MEIF will support Red Kangaroo’s reopening – restoring up to 40 jobs. This will help boost the local economy, while supporting the firm’s ongoing growth plans, with the funding also being used to upgrade and expand its Coventry facility. We look forward to seeing the firm accelerate its recovery.”

Sean Farnell, board director at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Red Kangaroo has become a firm favourite with parents and children alike since it was established in our area and this funding will enable the business to extend the facilities it can offer. It is vital we help our businesses not only to recover from the pandemic but to enable their future growth. This fuels the short and long-term future success of Coventry and Warwickshire’s economy - the key driver of the CWLEP’s Strategic Reset Framework.”

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 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) was 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 (BEIS). The scheme ended on 31 March and has been replaced by the Recovery Loan Scheme.

The FSE Group, MEIF Debt Finance Fund provides loans between £100,000 and £1.5million to help growing SMEs across the region.

Oxto Energy has secured a £300,000 loan from the Enterprise M3 Short Term Loan Scheme to cover up-front costs for an overseas contract.

The finance will enable the company, which is headquartered in Guildford, to cover the advance payments for materials and sub-contractors that are required to fulfil its latest project to install ten flywheel batteries in Kenya.

Oxto has developed a new generation flywheel energy storage technology that can deliver safe, scalable energy storage at a competitive cost. The flywheel battery works alongside any renewable energy source, from large wind turbines to smaller electrical vehicle charging stations, stabilising and storing the electricity from these sources. This provides Oxto’s customers with reduced energy costs whilst helping them to achieve their sustainability goals.

George Prassinos, Founder and CEO of Oxto Energy commented: “The up-front costs associated with large contracts can be prohibitive to small businesses like ours. This finance gives us the capacity to take on the opportunities available and further the growth of the business. The FSE Group analysed our current pipeline and the companies we partner with and was able to provide the support needed for us to deliver this latest project.”

There has been a large growth in demand for cleantech power solutions globally, including in energy storage, which has traditionally been fuelled by diesel. Oxto Energy is constantly researching ways to design and manufacture comprehensive solutions that can meet the varied requirements of global companies and diverse electricity markets.

James Edwards, Investment Manager at The FSE Group which manages the EM3 Short Term Loan Scheme on behalf of Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), added: “Oxto’s highly experienced and well-connected management team has successfully developed an innovative, market-leading technology that is gaining traction across the globe. With five contracts secured and a further 30 in the pipeline, they are well on course to reach their growth ambitions and we look forward to working with George and the team to see this delivered.”

Kathy Slack OBE, Director Enterprise M3 LEP, said: “Enterprise M3 LEP has put the global goal of Net Zero at the very heart of our economic recovery plan, so I am delighted that we’ve been able to help fund OXTO Energy to further develop its flywheel energy storage technology through a project in Kenya. This demonstrates the many opportunities available to businesses within the cleantech industry and I look forward to seeing more investments like this in the future.”

The EM3 Short Term Loan Scheme is part of the Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator, £10million initiative funded by Enterprise M3 LEP. The escalator, which also includes an expansion loan scheme and an equity growth fund, provides eligible companies with loans and equity funding between £50,000 and £300,000 for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the EM3 area.

For more information about the Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator please visit: https://www.thefsegroup.com/fund/enterprise-m3-funding-escalator/ or contact James Edwards at james.edwards@thefsegroup.com tel:  01276 608531 / 07384 8167 for more information about Oxto Energy, visit: www.oxtoenergy.com

The FSE Group is pleased to welcome experienced Investment Manager Philip Greenwood to its South East team.
Philip will be supporting eligible SMEs looking to scale up their business in the Thames Valley Berkshire region. He brings with him over 30 years’ experience having worked in both commercial and corporate banking. Most recently as a Senior Relationship Manager, Philip has managed various high value portfolios across different sectors and has an in-depth knowledge of specialist funding.

Cheryl Weeks, Head of Funds, South East for the FSE Group, commented: “We are looking forward to working with Philip and welcome him to the South East Team. He is a very experienced finance professional with specific knowledge of the Berkshire region. To date the Thames Valley Berkshire (TVB) Funding Escalator has supported 82 businesses with just over £14m being invested in the region's growing SMEs. Philip’s experience will be an excellent resource and will help us to continue supporting Berkshire businesses with this vital source of alternative funding.”

The Thames Valley Berkshire (TVB) Funding Escalator is an £11.3m initiative funded by Thames Valley Berkshire LEP. The escalator, which includes an expansion loan scheme, a trade finance loan scheme and an equity growth fund, provides eligible companies with loans and equity funding between £50,000 and £300,000 for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the TVB area.

Philip Greenwood, Investment Manager, South East for The FSE Group adds: “I am really looking forward to working with and providing advice and guidance for, all eligible Thames Valley SMEs seeking to scale up their businesses. It is always interesting to work with a diverse portfolio of businesses, helping them reach the next milestone."
For more information about the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator, click here or email philip.greenwood@thefsegroup.com / tel: 07542 609755