2011 began a new era for the Directors of Changing Lives in Cheshire as a business re-structure brought much change and opportunity.  After more than ten years of operating a much-valued furniture re-use programme under a different guise in Winsford; Changing Lives in Cheshire was launched as a new charity, opening several doors to new contracts.

Implications of the re-structure meant that funding was required to achieve three key objectives; help resource a “bulky waste” initiative, protect a key-worker role and provide essential cash flow at a critical stage of development.  Without £25,000 of hybrid grant/loan support from Key Fund’s North and Midland Fund, progress would have been severely hampered.

Changing Lives in Cheshire provides low-cost furniture to households in need and is part of the national Furniture Re-use network.  Sustainability for the business is key, and the organisation is supported largely by the second-hand furniture sales revenue they achieve each month.  An equally important part of the organisation’s purpose is to balance social impact with environmental impact, by providing work and training opportunities for people with learning disabilities, offender records and lengthy unemployment histories they also divert waste from landfill. There is a growing volunteer base to support the staff and the demand to provide more and more opportunities is growing constantly.

“Key Fund has made a dramatic difference to our success.  We wouldn’t have received similar funding anywhere else, and consequently we wouldn’t have been able to resource a critical contract.  Because of how Key Fund work, they instantly understood our circumstances and requirements, which made the whole application process easy” says Gary Cliffe who continues; “We believe our work is valuable and genuinely makes a difference in the community;

• In 2010 we employed 22 people, 86% of who were from the unemployment register.

• Delivered 3995 development and training hours.

• Provided 20,000 volunteer and placement hours; with teams of around 50 volunteers working with us at a time.

• We recycled 140 tonnes of furniture (over 8,000 items) and 40 tonnes of electrical goods (which we test & repair).

• Collected 86 tonnes of commercial waste.

• Supported 2000 families by providing high quality affordable furniture.

Key Fund support makes a huge difference to the community based organisations which so desperately need financial support, but struggle to receive it from the traditional funding sources.

They are an essential part of the financial landscape in our modern economy, where social enterprise is growing faster than any other sector and where a new kind of financial model is needed to support enterprises like our own to succeed”.

Key Fund is keen to support similar social enterprise ventures. To find out if this fund could help to get your business off the ground, please contact us.