Our new partnership with Just A Card

Funding Circle was born from the belief that when small businesses succeed, everyone benefits. I’m proud that we have been able to help more than 42,000 British small businesses to get finance through Funding Circle since 2010. However, we know times are tough for independent businesses across the country, which is why I am delighted to announce that we’ll be supporting the Just A Card campaign.

Just A Card is a not-for-profit campaign run by the incredible Sarah Hamilton and her amazing team of volunteers up and down the UK. For the last three years, Just A Card has been working hard to help small businesses get vital extra sales by encouraging people to make a purchase – however small – through their window stickers, pins and posters. And it’s working! Independent retailers who have joined the campaign say that just reminding shoppers of this fact – that every sale counts – is making a difference. This simple yet powerful message highlights what we need to do to ensure our high streets remain full of thriving independent businesses instead of boarded up shops.

How it started

“I had a light bulb moment three years ago” tells Sarah, who founded the campaign “I read a quote from store owners who’d just shut up shop – “if everyone who’d complimented our beautiful gallery had bought ‘just a card’ we’d still be open”. I realised then that if we value our independent businesses, it’s not enough just to talk about them. We have to take action to support them.

I firmly believe that people cherish independent businesses and want to support them. However, sometimes they simply don’t recognise how valuable every purchase is. We’ve now got 3,000 businesses supporting our campaign with window stickers across the country. With Funding Circle’s help, we’re going to treble that number to over 10,000 by the end of the year. I’m so excited to be working with Funding Circle because they are just as passionate about supporting small businesses as we are.” 

Support independent businesses this Christmas

We’re going to be sending a window sticker pack to all the relevant small businesses in the Funding Circle community, encouraging them to support the campaign. Particularly in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas, we want people to support their local independent shops, bookstores, cafes and businesses.

So watch out for a very special envelope landing on your doormat early next month. Display your window sticker with pride or pass it on to a local business, and do get involved with ‘Just A Card Indie Week’ November 19 – 23, by following @fundingcircleUK and @justacard on Instagram or visit justacard.org for more details.

James Meekings – Funding Circle Co-founder and UK MD.