An independent charity, Social and Community Capital (S&CC), was set up by NatWest to support social enterprises to access finance and has marked its 25th birthday. The milestone is celebrated with a total lending portfolio of £3.6 million, which is helping social enterprises, charities and community organisations across the UK to grow their impact and help more people.
In 2024 alone, the support of S&CC enabled social organisations to support a further 3625 organisations and to create or maintain 463 jobs. According to its investees (social organisations with a loan from S&CC), there was also a significant uplift in the year of people impacted by the lending with 62,183 being helped in 2024, compared to 14,000 in 2023.
S&CC specialises in offering lending to social enterprises, charities and community organisations unable to access finance from mainstream lenders. It works closely with these organisations to provide tailored financial solutions, helping them overcome obstacles and maximise their impact.
One of the businesses that has benefitted from S&CC’s support is An Taigh Cèilidh, a Gaelic community and cultural centre in Stornoway, Scotland, dedicated to preserving and promoting Gaelic language and heritage. Founded in 2021 its leaders knew they needed a physical centre in order to flourish and approached S&CC for support.
Founding Director, Dr Teàrlach Wilson, explained that, as the team was unfamiliar with the lending process, An Taigh Cèilidh approached the expansion with some apprehension. S&CC’s loan officers worked closely with the team from the outset, offering tailored support and guidance to ensure they felt confident and informed every step of the way.
Through S&CC’s financial support, An Taigh Cèilidh was able to purchase a building for its cultural centre, which is now a thriving space that welcomes both locals and tourists — offering a warm, authentic experience of Gaelic culture and community. Thanks to S&CC’s support, the organisation has created four new full-time roles and attracted a growing number of local volunteers.
Dr Teàrlach Wilson, Founding Director of An Taigh Cèilidh, said: “We could not operate without a physical space. We couldn't have bought a physical space without S&CC.”
Another social enterprise S&CC has supported is the Pathways School in London - a specialist, independent secondary school that supports children and young people with autism and learning disabilities.
S&CC came in to bridge the crucial gap between year one and year two operations. Pathways School’s clear understanding of its mission, figures, and financials made the process smoother for S&CC. The school noted its appreciation for S&CC's willingness to support a startup with no prior trading history and desire to understand the organisation’s mission.
Saima Ali Majid, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Pathways School, said: "I always imagined the lending process to be very cumbersome and bureaucratic, but this had a flow and ease to it." Saima further stresses the importance of “finding a lender who understands the business [...] the mission [...] it's critical to understand the needs.”
Victoria Papworth, CEO of NatWest Social and Community Capital, said:
“Celebrating our 25th anniversary in a year marked by economic uncertainty makes the impact we’ve achieved even more powerful. Over 60,000 lives were positively changed through the organisations we support—proof that locally delivered solutions are meeting real, urgent needs. Nearly half of our investees are small businesses with fewer than 10 employees, and over half operate in the UK’s most deprived areas. This is targeted, meaningful support where it matters most. As we look ahead to the next 25 years, we remain committed to backing communities and businesses that drive lasting change.”
