Zoe’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Zoe is a Leeds-based make-up artist with a talent for helping people feel their very best. She was also one of the very first people to take out a pilot micro-finance loan from Trust Leeds, using the opportunity to turn her skills and passion into a business of her own. Before becoming self-employed, Zoe worked […]
Geraldine’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Back in November 2018, Geraldine became the very first pilot borrower with Trust Leeds. She received a £650 loan to help make her business dream a reality. Today, she’s using her skills to bring comfort, care and healing to others, and her journey has been nothing short of inspirational. Geraldine has always been at the […]
Thomas’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Thomas has always worked, trained and learned – but often his work has been low-waged and uncertain. Last year he started claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. It was a difficult time for him and his family, but through the Job Centre he was given the opportunity to get a grant to train as a driving instructor – […]
Rita’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
We first met Rita in the week she launched her business, at ‘Getting Going and Growing’, our two-day workshop designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs tackle the financial parts of building a business. From the moment she introduced herself as ‘The Eyewear Expert’, it was clear that Rita’s 25 years in the optical industry had given […]
John’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
John and Mandy Sibary have launched On Tha Moor – The Natural Dog Soap Company, a handcrafted range of soaps and balms designed especially for dogs. The brand’s roots lie in a personal story. In 2019, John was diagnosed with complex PTSD. During his recovery, it was John and Mandy’s two dogs, Laika and Hazel, […]
Öz’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
“I strongly believe that this is my calling. I am passionate about being able to help people in my own unique way – empowering them to return to their lives feeling more positive and stronger.” For Öz, starting her own business was about more than self-employment, it was about using her skills and compassion to […]
Nor’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Nor has always been passionate about food, culture, and sharing her heritage with others. Originally a lecturer in Indonesia, she later worked in both customer service and education here in the UK before settling down to raise her family. But her dream was to bring the flavours of Indonesia and Malaysia to her local community […]
Kidi’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Kidist Teklemariam (Kidi) is a naturalised British citizen who passed through the refugee process. Like many others rebuilding their lives in a new country, she faced the challenges of navigating the UK’s education, employment, and welfare systems while adjusting to a new culture. These hurdles were both stressful and isolating, but they also fuelled her […]
Luke’s Story: 10 Trust Leeds Loans
Luke has always loved teaching. Having worked as a schoolteacher in the past, he found joy in helping people learn new skills, grow in confidence, and succeed. Today, he channels that same passion into his business, Harley Driver Training, offering driving lessons to learners and training for new instructors. Like many of the entrepreneurs we […]
What a business loan meant to me: Geraldine’s story
Geraldine was Trust Leeds’ first pilot borrower, receiving a loan of £650 back in November 2018 to assist in making her business dreams a reality. We recently caught up with Geraldine to hear about her plans for the future and to share her inspirational story. “I wanted to just heal people – I’m a people […]