UK Steel Funding has come in handy for 'Mrs Fix It' from Kirton Lindsey
A young mum who found she had time to launch a new business after her young son started school has been given a cash boost from UK Steel.
Canadian Donna Barnard, who lives in Kirton in Lindsey, moved to North Lincolnshire eight years ago with her husband Jerry.
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HANDY WOMAN: Mrs Fix It Donna Barnard at work, watched by Keith Williams, regional manager for UK Steel Enterprise
When her son Jack, 6, started school, she wanted to start working and do things she enjoyed so she applied for assistance from the UK Steel Enterprise Kickstart Fund to start her own handy woman service.
And the firm, called Mrs Fix It Handy Woman Services, has now taken off in the Scunthorpe area.
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"The funding I got from UK Steel allowed me to buy bigger equipment, which means I could say 'yes' to larger jobs," she said.
"That really took the pressure off me in the early stages. I'm finding that older people and single women in particular really appreciate that I'm a woman.
"I can turn my hand to most things, so repairs, decorating and gardening jobs are what I'm doing for people, as they are the things that people struggle to manage or find time to do themselves."
UK Steel Enterprise is owned by Tata Steel and launched the Kickstart Fund last year to help create new businesses in North Lincolnshire.
To help manage the funding applications, UK Steel Enterprise has partnered with North Lincolnshire Developments Ltd.
The Kickstart Fund's aim of creating new businesses is already bringing much-needed jobs to the area.
The fund provides businesses start-up finance up to £5,000 in a combination of unsecured loans with the option to award small discretionary grants.
Donna says that her new business is allowing her to balance work and home life as she looks after clients within a 10-mile radius of Kirton.
"Running my own business means I am in control of my time, which means I can schedule my workload and still be there to look after Jack," she said.
"Going through the application process was made so much easier by the help I got and I'd advise anyone to make sure they do the same when starting a business."
Regional manager for UK Steel Enterprise, Keith Williams, said: "We set up the Kickstart Fund to support people who wanted to create jobs in the Scunthorpe area. Donna has done just that by using her own skills to provide services to an identified market.
"She is now creating income for her family and contributing to the local economy and we have no doubt will go on to be even more successful."
Mrs Fix It Handy Woman Services can be contacted on 0798 466 6814.
To apply for support from the Kickstart Fund, call UK Steel Enterprise on 0800 915 1188.
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