A RELIEF scheme in Tenbury has provided its first lap tops to school students.

The Tenbury No Interest Loans Scheme which is believed to be unique in the country is reporting a further upturn in demand as families in the area face increasing financial pressures.

With the start of the new school and academic year the scheme has agreed to supply lap tops for children who need them for their studies. It has also helped students needing to buy bus passes to enable them to get to college and is also able to help with school uniforms.

Jane Newton, chairman of the scheme that has grown since it was launched in 2009, says that all cases of extreme need will be considered but that the project is particularly keen to help with educational needs.

“We are here to help where there is a special need to be met,” said Ms Newton.

“The biggest demand is for help with household appliances like washing machines but everything will be considered.

“We expect demand to grow as winter approaches and people have problems such as the breakdown of heating systems.

“The scheme was even able to help when we were approached by a family with young children under the age of eight that ran out of heating oil. In that case we were able to purchase half a tank of heating oil to help to see them through the worst of the cold.”

Although the scheme, that has been extended beyond Tenbury to include Ludlow, helps people in the most pressing of financial trouble it does not have a problem with getting the ‘loans’ repaid.

Under the ‘loan’ agreement there is a clause that would allow money that is not repaid to be recovered from benefits through the Department of Work and Pensions but it has only been necessary to use this once is five years.

“We are working with genuine and decent people facing extreme hardship and they want to repay,” added Ms Newton.

The scheme that is based upon a model introduced from Australia is believed to be unique in the United Kingdom in that there is no interest or administration charge.

It is also different in that it does not pay the loan in cash but as a credit that is used to buy the specific item that is needed and where possible local suppliers are used so that the money is recycled within the local economy.

All of the loans are provided either thanks to a major benefactor or through other charitable donations. Some funding has also been provided from local councils including Malvern Hills District Council and Tenbury Town Council.

The scheme was extended to the Ludlow area in April and is now helping 15 families from the town. A loan application has been made to the Ludlow Town Council.

In 2014 ‘Tenbury nils’ achieved charitable status that makes fund raising easier.

“As far as we know we are the only project of its kind in the country but there has been a lot of interest from other areas that are looking at taking up the idea,” Ms Newton added.