Single mum of two Christine has come to the Lewisham Plus Bromley Credit Union with her toddler to ask for a £500 loan. The fridge freezer she relies on for her soul food business has packed up, and as London is in the middle of a blistering heat wave, it’s essential she gets help straight away.

For Jo and Rene from Sheffield, an ethical loan hasn’t just changed their lives, it’s enhanced the health and wellbeing of their community too. The Real Junk Food Project in Sheffield takes food destined for the landfill and cooks it up into affordable meals, feeding over 80,000 people in the city.

And 35-year-old sports-mad Paul has set up shop selling specialist cricket gear thanks to a £10,000 ethical loan. Show less