Two North East charities are celebrating remarkable growth after receiving vital backing from social investor, Key Fund.

Veterans at Ease, which provides therapy for serving personnel, veterans, and their families, received its first grant and loan investment from Key Fund in 2018 to open a fundraising shop in Whitley Bay.

Just a few years later, the charity now has eight revenue-generating shops across the UK – including five in the North East – and is expanding its reach nationally.

Another charity Africawad, which collects and recycles clothes, who then exports them to West Africa to fund the education of schoolgirls from Togo, has also experienced a welcome boost.

Both charities received vital investment from Key Fund when they encountered barriers from traditional lenders.

Veterans at Ease uses funds from its network of shops to deliver Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy (NLPt) through trained practitioners who are themselves veterans. Practitioners have previously received support from the charity before becoming qualified therapists.

“The beauty of Key Fund is it gave us just enough to get started,” said Christina Murrell, Managing Director of Veterans at Ease.

“It was a loan against the enterprise – meaning it didn’t risk the charity’s future if things went wrong. Since then, we’ve expanded nationally and now support almost 500 veterans.

“The demand for our work is incredibly strong – every day we receive enquiries and referrals from those in urgent need.”

Founded in the North East, the charity’s roots are in a region that is home to 22% of the British Army – making it the natural home for the organisation’s mission.

Veterans at Ease supports individuals facing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and other combat stress-related conditions.

“Everyone here – whether they’re therapists, paid staff or volunteers – shares the same passion, which is to ease the emotional and psychological suffering of every veteran who asks for help,” added Christina.

With demand rising, the charity is now working towards a 5–10-year growth plan to establish shops and therapy centres in key armed forces communities across the UK.

Key Fund, which specialises in investing in social enterprises and organisations making a measurable difference in their communities, has supported Veterans at Ease multiple times since 2018.

“This is why we invest in social enterprises,” said Matt Smith CBE, Chief Executive of Key Fund.

“Veterans at Ease is a perfect example of how social impact investment works. Veterans and their families across the UK can now access high-quality therapy, thanks to a sustainable funding model built on community shops. This means more people receiving the help they need and a stronger foundation for the charity’s ambitious national plans.”

Africawad was founded by Afi Dometi, an asylum seeker who fled to the UK when her life was in danger in West Africa.

A qualified accountant, Afi learned English and worked in hotels and kitchens while studying for a business degree before setting up Africawad, which recycles and sells clothes in Newcastle and West Africa.

Her business supports over 20 local women into education or employment each year and saves 300,000 kilos of unwanted clothes from landfill.

Clothes are sold via eBay, wholesalers, and shop owners in the UK. 80% of products are also exported to Togo and distributed to a network of companies across West Africa.

The charity’s African arm reinvests proceeds from the sale of clothes to pay for the annual tuition of more than 80 schoolgirls in Togo.

Key Fund gave a loan of £15,400 and a £4,600 grant for working capital to help the charity expand its operations, as well as to purchase a van to pick up stock.

Matt Smith CBE, added:

“Key Fund has a proud history of backing underserved communities, but we know that many marginalised groups have historically struggled to access the finance they need. We’re committed to changing that.”