Chocolate company Harry Specters has received £243,451 in funding from The Growth Impact Fund.
The award winning chocolatier provides paid employment, work experience and training opportunities for young autistic people. Founded by Mona and Shaz in 2011 as a means of supporting their autistic son, the company now employs 12 Neurodiverse individuals and has provided over two hundred autistic people with free training and work experience.
Zoey Clenshaw joined Harry Specters in 2021, working across the sales, customer services and admin functions. Despite her skills and degree in performing arts, Zoe struggled to find and maintain employment. At Harry Specters she has become ‘the Office Octopus’ handling a variety of different tasks.
Zoey said,
“I had previously struggled to hold down a job due to sensory and social difficulties. Now after just over 2 years working at Harry Specters I thrive in a working environment where I am understood and accepted for who I am.’
The Fund also made a £250,000 investment in Lightning Reach, a platform that has distributed over £6m in grants to people in need of financial assistance. Data from the Office Of National Statistics suggests that most deprived areas of England are the hardest hit by the cost of living crisis, with 58% of people spending less on essentials than other parts of the country. By providing individuals with access to financial support, Lightning Reach is tackling the cost-of-living crisis head-on.
Ben Tiplady, Investment Manager at Big Issue Invest, said:
‘We quickly identified both organisations as being aligned with our mission of tackling inequality in the UK. Lightning Reach platform has massive potential to support people experiencing financial hardship. Harry Specters creates employment opportunities for neurodivergent young people who would face barriers to work ordinarily. We would love for these investments to spur more collaboration between charitable organisations and are excited to watch them both grow.’
The Growth Impact Fund was developed by Big Issue Invest and UnLtd, with support from Bank of America and helps social businesses grow their impact.
Photo: Anna Tarazevich
