Ignition’s Business Development Manager, Ele Smith, has recently completed her third year as a volunteer mentor for the Citizenship for Life programme. It involves dedicating a day a month to mentoring a young teenager and helping them develop important life skills.

She comments: “It is hugely rewarding to support a local teenager and help them increase their resilience, self-esteem and confidence. I’m grateful to Ignition and the STAR Group for sponsoring the charity again this year – it’s an excellent cause and makes a real difference to young lives.”

Visit the Citizenship 4 life website here

On Thursday 11 May 2023, the Bank of England announced a 0.25% increase in its base rate from 4.25% to 4.50%, a 15-year high.

While rising interest rates may seem like a deterrent to investing and purchasing new equipment and commercial vehicles on finance, there are still several benefits to consider:

• Financing will allow your business to acquire the necessary equipment and vehicles you need immediately – This will enable you to start utilising the new asset right away, potentially boosting your productivity and revenue.
• Your business can preserve your working capital for other essential business operations, such as investing in new growth opportunities, a marketing campaign, or employing new staff.
• Maintaining your cashflow can provide more flexibility for everyday expenses.
• A fixed repayment structure will allow for better budgeting and financial planning for your business without the worry about fluctuations due to interest rate changes.
• Investing in new equipment will come with new advanced technology, which will not only improve your business’s operational efficiency, but also productivity and competitiveness in your market. The benefits gained from investing in new technology outweigh the impact of rising interest rates in the long run.
• Equipment and commercial vehicles can hold their value and even appreciate over time. This means that even if you are paying interest on the financing, the value of the assets may increase, potentially offsetting the cost of borrowing.

Cash can literally be the lifeline of your business so why not keep hold of it for when you really need it.

Things to be mindful of, non-payment could negatively affect the credit rating of the business and the guarantor and could result in the asset being re-possessed.

Mawnan AFC didn’t just win their Vets League Cup Final in style this month against current cup holders Helston AFC, Ignition made sure they looked super stylish before & after the match too by co-sponsoring special cup final polo shirts in conjunction with one of our customers, Fox Construction Solutions Ltd.

Ignition Credit’s MD Paul Caunter joined his lifelong friend & Director of Fox Construction, Kevin Bate in the Mawnan line up as they triumphed 2-1 to lift the trophy.

“Having both been long-standing players & members of Mawnan AFC we were delighted to sponsor the polos in what was a memorable day for us, the club & the travelling supporters who gave our tired old legs a much needed lift to go on & claim the trophy” Paul commented.

Ignition are pleased to support a local & very well run football club, with Paul’s son Daniel also playing for the main teams now to continue the family connection and wish the club well for their end of season awards evening on Friday where we are sure the seasons successes will be celebrated in style.

Exciting news! We are thrilled to announce that we have won the prestigious Business Moneyfacts Award category ‘Asset Finance Broker of The Year’ 

This award recognises the hard work and dedication of our entire team in providing exceptional financial services to businesses across the country.

The Business Moneyfacts Awards, which took place on Thursday 20th April at the Evolution Battersea, London, are the industry’s most highly respected awards, recognising the best products and services in the financial sector. Winning the Asset Finance Broker of the Year award is a significant achievement for Ignition Credit, as it demonstrates the company’s exceptional performance and commitment to providing its clients with outstanding service.

We are grateful to our customers for trusting us with their financial needs and for allowing us to help them achieve their business goals. Winning this award would not have been possible without your support and loyalty.

Upon receiving the award, The STAR Group expressed its gratitude for the recognition and thanked the judges for their impartial assessment. The company also praised its team of experts who work hard to ensure that clients receive the best possible service and support.

Jim Higginbotham, CEO of the STAR Group said “Winning the Asset Finance Broker of the Year award is a tremendous honour for us, and we are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to providing exceptional financial solutions to our customers. Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that we deliver the best possible service, and this award is a testament to their hard work and dedication.”

Paul Caunter, MD of Ignition Credit added, “We are grateful to our customers for their continued support and trust in us. We will continue to work hard to provide them with the best possible financial solutions that meet their specific needs.”

And secondly, our CEO Jim Higginbotham won a National Leadership Award!

Jim’s honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and strong work ethics have been highlighted through the shortlisting, values that we believe are cornerstones of any successful business, and certainly reflect the way we want to work with our customers, so we are delighted to see this recognised.

We are incredibly proud that the STAR Group have won three National Awards within the last 6 months, including ‘Asset Finance Broker of The Year’ at the Leasing World Gold Awards in November 22.  We are proud of our achievements, and we take pride in serving our customers with excellence and exceeding your expectation