£100-250k

Linskill and North Tyneside Community Development Trust

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Image of a woman in the community garden

Linskill, a thriving community hub in North Shields, Tyneside, provides a place for members of the local community to learn, relax and engage in activities. They attract more than 260,000 visitors per year and their mission is to operate as a valued, self-sustaining, community anchor organisations providing opportunities, support and guidance to local communities, responding to local needs. 

Duration
5 Years
Cost of capital
1% (year 1) 3% in subsequent years
Turnover
£2m
Investor Details
Big Issue Invest
Amount invested
£130,000
Year of Investment
2025
Product type
Secured loan

Future Yard

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Woman smiling while playing the guitar and singing. A mic placed in front of her. She's in a room with dark blue walls

Future Yard CIC is a social enterprise established in 2019 to use music as a force for good in Birkenhead and the wider Wirral area, with the ambition to reimagine the role of a community music venue. Alongside a busy programme showcasing exciting new music talent, Future Yard hosts an artist development hub and free skills training programmes to enable young people to pursue careers in the industry. The organisation has also committed to a long-term goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral grassroots music venue in the North of England, and one of the first in the UK.

Duration
9.5 years
Cost of capital
5.5%
Turnover
£30,000
Investor Details
Figurative
Amount invested
£292,500
Year of Investment
2020
Product type
Secured loan

Figurative

Figurative provides specialist finance for arts, heritage, cultural and creative organisations. By investing in the cultural and creative sector, we want to support more organisations to become enterprising and resilient and promote the wider positive impact art and creativity have on society.
Investors

Chocolate Films

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A small group of people sits in a studio, attentively listening to two individuals engaged in a discussion. The setting includes professional lighting equipment, a green screen, and a projector, indicating a media or film-related event. The "Chocolate Films" logo is faintly visible on the white backdrop.

Chocolate films is an independent, full-service video production company. They are an international agency based in London and Glasgow, with global partners and satellite offices in the EU and US. They make content with impact – from promo videos to documentaries, animations to event films, and more. 

Duration
4 years
Cost of capital
7.5%
Turnover
£160,000
Investor Details
Big Issue Invest
Amount invested
£127,500 loan (+£22,500 grant)
Year of Investment
2022
Product type
Blended – part grant, part loan

Blackburne House

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An ornate red brick building with Victorian-style architecture, featuring a central clock tower, arched windows, and intricate stone detailing. The structure exudes historical charm, framed against a clear blue sky.

Blackburne House is a Liverpool-based charity that supports the development of local - and often vulnerable - women. With a core focus on education, they offer a range of nationally-recognised courses and qualifications to women - particularly in sectors in which women are still under-represented. 

Duration
3 years
Cost of capital
7%
Turnover
£1.1m
Investor Details
Livv Investment
Amount invested
Loan £130,000-Grant £20,000
Year of Investment
2024
Product type
Blended – part grant, part loan