Following the success of Wokingham Borough Council’s scheme to give start up grants to small scale care providers, it is once again inviting applications from newly established social care providers, or people who are planning to set up a social care business, employing less than five people, for a grant of up to £1,500.

The scheme has previously helped 12 new businesses providing a range of personalised care and support services.

The council is now offering more grants and is particularly interested in applications from new providers offering personalised services to help older and disabled people to access leisure, sports, educational, social or cultural activities.

James Burgess, community care commissioning and development manager, said: "We hope that by offering these grants there will be more options for people who have a social care need to access services within the community. This is an important part of helping people improve their quality of life. We hope that small providers will be able to offer new and more personalised services to help people do this."

In addition to these grants, the borough council is also offering small providers help from local business support service The Real Business Club. The council will also be organising networking and information events in the future.

Debbie Stone, whose company Flair benefitted from a grant in 2009, said: "Flair is a traditional home help service and it’s been running for three years. We operate in Wokingham and surrounding area, offering help with housework, shopping, laundry and ironing, as well as companionship. I think this is a marvellous scheme and it gave Flair a real boost." 

Shelagh Robinson and Tracey Williams, who received a grant in 2009 to help their company, T&S Services, which provides support to people in their homes, said: "The micro enterprise grant was so helpful. It enabled us to buy software for our invoices and paper work, and pay for the printing of leaflets and advertising, which helped get our business up and running.

"We would not have been able to achieve this so quickly without the help of the grant. With the ongoing support of Wokingham Borough Council, any worries, problems or questions we had have been answered or we have been guided in the right direction. We are so grateful." 

Anyone interested in applying for a grant should contact James Burgess, community care commissioning and development manager, on (0118) 974 6235 or Steve George, social enterprise development manager on 07786 534922.