Newquay-based Crowdfunder UK has been helping some of those businesses hardest hit during the coronavirus crisis.
The crowdfunding platform has been offering free fundraising during the pandemic, which has resulted in an extra £1 million a week being raised through various nationwide campaigns.
And anticipating that small businesses would most feel the impact of the virus, Crowdfunder also launched its ‘Pay It Forward’ scheme on the first day of lockdown. The initiative is geared towards securing the long-term future of businesses, providing the infrastructure and coaching for small companies to pre-sell goods and services.
Last month, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, partnered with Crowdfunder to launch a city-wide version – Pay It Forward London – providing the opportunity for Londoners to buy goods and services in advance from small businesses, helping them to stay afloat.
To date Crowdfunder says more than 5,000 businesses have signed up to the scheme.
Rob Love, co-founder and CEO of Crowdfunder, said: “These past few weeks show the power of communities coming together. The reason we exist is to help people make the world a better place, and this is what we have seen happening on our platform.
“In a time where the country is uniting and doing what they can, with what they have – from wherever they are – we are lucky to be in a position to make a difference by supporting as many initiatives as possible; enabling people to bring their ideas and campaigns to life across the nation so they can help support others and themselves.”
