A Swansea-based landscaping and gardening business is in bloom after securing a finance package which has helped them build on their foundations for long term prosperity.

Green Dream Concepts has benefitted from a £25,000 finance package from BCRS Business Loans, fund manager for the Smaller Loans Fund, Investment Fund for Wales, which was launched by the British Business Bank in late 2023. The finance has enabled the company to invest in a new van and equipment, whilst also expanding its workforce to enable them to increase cashflow from the maintenance side of the business to fund the growing garden design area.

Green Dream Concepts was established at the beginning of the year by RAF Regiment Veteran Will Thomas and Royal Navy Veteran Matt Craven. After a busy first half of the year the duo could clearly see the potential of expanding the operations, but this required investment, so the pair turned to BCRS which helped them secure a loan through the Investment Fund for Wales.

Will, 34 and from Gorseinon, served in both 34 Sqn and 51 Sqn RAF Regiment for over 11 years, explains:

“I came out of the RAF after suffering two substantial injuries in a short period of time. Having served in maintenance-focused roles I wanted to continue my career on this path and started undertaking a variety of landscaping roles and it was through this that I met Matt.”

Together Will and Matt set about establishing the business, with Will handling business matters and Matt as the lead garden designer, both very much focussing on working in partnership with clients to come up with garden solutions that were right for them.

Will continued:

“The reputation of our work quickly spread, and business was booming in a relatively short period of time. It was this that spurred us to try and raise finance to make the leap to employ more people, whilst also investing in new equipment.”

The funding from BCRS has allowed Green Dream Concepts, through a partnership with Bella Chandler from Serco Group working with PeoplePlus, to employ three new members of staff, whilst they have also made a switch from petrol to electric equipment and purchased a new van.

Will added:

“This funding has bought so many positives to us. Not only has it allowed us to invest in assets to allow us to expand our operations, but it’s meant that we can employ more people. Through the creation of these jobs, we can grow our maintenance contracts, whilst myself and Matt can concentrate on the larger garden design projects, which, due to their nature, bring in more revenue.

“The team at BCRS worked with us to really understand our business and growth plans to secure finance that was right for us. People say the first three years of any business are the hardest, but we feel like we’ve laid solid foundations and are now looking forward to seeing how we grow. We couldn’t have done this without the funding.”

Niki Haggerty-James, Business Development Manager at BCRS Business Loans, supported Green Dream Concepts and said:

“We were delighted to support Green Dream Concepts in accessing finance to allow the business to grow in a sustainable way.

“BCRS are a story-based lender, and we support businesses that often find it difficult to access finance through traditional routes. We pride ourselves on our bespoke support and base our decisions on the business itself, not computerised credit scores. Green Dream Concepts has accomplished a lot in a relatively short period of time, and I am looking forward to seeing their continued growth.”

Mark Sterritt, Director, Nations and Regions Investment Funds at the British Business Bank, said:

“The £130m Investment Fund for Wales was launched to support successful and ambitious businesses like Green Dream Concepts as they look to scale and achieve their business goals.

“We wish Will and Matt every success and hope that this £25,000 investment from the Investment Fund for Wales, delivered through BCRS, contributes to their ongoing growth”.

The British Business Bank backed Investment Fund for Wales operates across the whole of Wales and includes a range of finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses start up, scale up or stay ahead. BCRS Business Loans is managing the smaller loans part of the fund (£25,000 to £100,000). FW Capital will be responsible for larger loans (£100,000 to £2 million) and Foresight will manage equity deals (up to £5 million).

The Investment Fund for Wales, helps to increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance by providing options to smaller businesses that might otherwise not receive investment. Funding is designed to help businesses with activities including expansion, product or service innovation, new processes, skills development, and capital equipment.

Having worked with SMEs unable to access finance from traditional sources in the West Midlands since 2002, BCRS Business Loans has expanded into Wales to help smaller businesses there prosper and thrive under the fund, which was officially launched in Cardiff in November.

Since BCRS was founded as a community development financial institution in 2002, it has provided loans worth more than £85 million to businesses across the West Midlands. A social impact report for the last financial year showed BCRS lent £6.5m to 72 businesses, safeguarding 999 jobs and creating 473 roles, adding £33.7m in value to the economy of the West Midlands and surrounding region.