All’s WEL thanks to Clydesdale Bank

20/10/2011

A company giving vital support to help vulnerable people live an independent life in their own homes is to expand thanks to the financial support of Clydesdale Bank.

Wealden and Eastbourne Lifeline (WEL), supplies market leading telecare and telehealth systems and services to 30,000 people in Sussex and the wider UK.

WEL operates a 24 hour response centre together with UK wide installation and response teams, all staffed by highly trained and caring individuals dedicated to promoting safety, security, reassurance and independence for service users with a wide range of requirements – from vulnerable workers to older people living at home.

Merging two services operated by Wealden Council and Eastbourne Council, WEL is now a thriving private sector company, constantly looking to expand to meet the growing demand for its services.

“Our business plan is all about enabling us to create the highest possible level of service for the 30,000 people who depend on us at a time of great need,” said Managing Director Mark Bannister. “To do that, we need to invest in our workforce and in the technology and systems that support the service.”

To enable it to achieve these objectives, WEL set about looking for a suitable financial partner and met with Dave Barden, Business Partner at Clydesdale Bank’s Brighton Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).

“We reviewed several options and found Clydesdale Bank to be the most helpful and positive,” said Mark. “They proposed funding through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme, which was an avenue no-one else was able to offer.

“Once we had agreed to work with them, they secured the EFG funding with a minimum of fuss. They are proving to be fantastic partners in business, are very approachable and have a real understanding of what we are trying to achieve and how we need to get there.”

Duncan Ponikwer, Managing Partner at Clydesdale Bank’s Brighton FSC, said WEL perfectly matched the criteria needed for companies to take advantage of its Investing for Growth programme.

“Our Investing for Growth initiative is all about finding sources of finance such as EFG loans and benefits such as loan repayment holidays, interest-only repayments and extended loan and credit terms and is designed to help businesses take advantage of quality growth opportunities by providing investment finance, increasing cash flow and easing debt commitments,” said Duncan.

“WEL provides an essential service and it is clear from its Business Plan that it will grow to continue to meet the demands of its clients. It seemed to us that an EFG was the best way forward for them and we are delighted to have been able to arrange the facility.

“Because we’re able to make lending decisions at a local level, we are able to react swiftly to a businesses needs, and be flexible in our approach, an important factor for a fast growing organisation such as WEL.”