LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
So when the centre’s landlords, a local housing association, were looking to sell the property, Druglink was keen to maintain continuity for the people it helps. And to stay in a building which had been adapted over three decades to suit the ever-changing nature of its work.
Druglink approached CAF Bank to raise the finance they needed to buy Nascent House. Receiving a £350,000 loan, repayable over 20 years, enabled the property purchase to be completed, securing a stable, long-term home for the charity’s services, and a basis from which to grow.
Druglink has since been shortlisted in the 2017 UK Housing Awards and is looking to the future.
Sarah Clark, Druglink’s director of finance and commercial operations, says: “We have people struggling with addiction issues for years, perhaps 20 years, when they come to us. But now they are living away from that, they are in recovery, they are volunteering and doing courses and gaining a lot of valuable experience, skills and knowledge which increases self-esteem and confidence”.
“The house is a very important part of our support. When the owners looked at their housing stock we asked them if they would consider selling it to us. They said yes and we approached CAF Bank.
“CAF Bank did due diligence as you would expect. What we liked was that they looked at all of our work and how it fitted together. There were a few hiccups along the way but we were supported throughout.
“I didn’t think it was like working with an ordinary bank. They were very interested in what we were doing and how that fitted with the wider Druglink work. It wasn’t just about how much money they could make, it was how this fitted with the wider work we were doing.”
If your organisation has plans to purchase, develop or refurbish properties for a social purpose, call our charity loan experts now for a free consultation on
03000 123 444.