Published: September 24, 2021
Unity Trust Bank relationship manager Mike Wicks will be a guest speaker at the Yorkshire Post Leadership Summit on Friday, September 24.
The Summit brings together some of Yorkshire’s finest business leaders to discuss the key topics facing companies today.
Unity Trust Bank has had the pleasure of helping lots of businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber. Mike, who has 25 years’ experience in commercial banking, has built strong connections in the region.
He said: “This is a great region and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many business leaders who share Unity’s vision of creating a better society.
“Through our funding, local communities have benefitted through job creation, education and training opportunities, affordable housing, day care spaces, community facilities and accessible healthcare provision.”
Growing at more than 25 per cent per annum, Unity only lends to organisations that make a positive contribution to social, economic and environmental needs. Here is a flavour of the some of the important projects that Unity has supported in Yorkshire and the Humber:
Organisations that offer access to quality early childhood education and childcare provision have a valuable role in society and a £280,000 loan enabled Early Years, a not-for-profit pre-school, to purchase the building it had been renting for 23 years when it was put up for sale.
Unity’s funding package helped secure the long-term future of the organisation and safeguard jobs.
Unity is proud to work with healthcare professionals that deliver accessible frontline services in local communities and earlier this year a dentist from Leeds opened his second practice thanks to an £800,000 refinance package.
James Cooper, who owns Briggate Dental in the city centre, purchased Langdale Dental in Headingley and has created eight new jobs and three apprenticeships. He has also been very successful in encouraging better oral health amongst his patients.
James said: “Unity Trust Bank helps people who help other people. Dentistry is a business but we’re also helping people with their teeth and self-esteem.”
Organisations that deliver essential and accessible facilities help improve overall quality of life and we were delighted to assist Hull charity, Women Improving Now Not Ever Retreating (WINNER).
A £1.3m funding package from Unity enabled the charity, which provides vital services for women through its female-only safe space at Preston Road Women’s Centre, to strengthen and broaden the support it offers.
WINNER has helped thousands of vulnerable women through counselling, legal and housing advice, training and educational activities and assistance for those experiencing domestic violence.
It also offers a registered nursery, family law firm, youth group and a charity shop and runs its own property portfolio to provide safe, affordable housing for women.
Mike Wicks said: “Charities like WINNER are the cornerstone of local communities and we’re proud to support the valuable work it does.”
At the Summit, Mike will be taking part in a Q&A session on ‘Developing a skilled workforce for the future’.
To read about other businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber that Unity has helped, visit unity.co.uk.
