A Matter of Life and Debt - Season 3 (2019)

Hard-working Hertfordshire florist and mum of three Collette worries that her poor credit history could prune her plans to open a new shop. Keen to secure a prime position in a shopping centre so she can grow her floristry business, she turns to an ethical lender for £5,000. In Yorkshire, former soldier Nick goes it alone as a tour guide. Using his own savings and a £5,000 loan, he has been able to swap his desk for the dales as his tours have become a roaring success. At the Bristol credit union, Marilyn needs £350 to buy a new cooker, and, faced with a recession and no employment, a pair of graduates decide to create their own jobs by setting up a fashion workshop in Scotland with the help of £12,000.

In London, a community land trust is trying to combat the housing crisis. Set up and run by ordinary people who fix house prices in relation to what people actually earn, it’s trying to prevent locals from being priced out of the neighbourhoods they call home. An ethical loan is the icing on the cake for 32-year-old Pia, who runs an award-winning artisan cake business in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Pia began selling her cakes at markets and fairs but needed £5,000 to get her own vehicle for the business. The Fredericks Foundation lent her the money, and the bakery has continued to rise. And Newport credit union in south Wales has a unique member, Ernie the labrador. Owner Maureen has been saving for Ernie since he got sick and was saddled with expensive vet bills. She now saves whatever she can in case he falls ill again.

In the heart of Newquay in Cornwall a green oasis has been built for the community thanks to crowdfunding. It’s the brainchild of Luke, an ecologist with a dream of turning seven acres of grassland into a green hub for his hometown, growing food to feed people's minds as much as their tummies. Teenage entrepreneur Erika has turned a life-changing diagnosis into a hugely successful business. After receiving intensive physiotherapy in Spain for a spinal deformation known as scoliosis, she decided to start a business offering the non-invasive treatment here in the UK. At 19 she asked for a £50,000 loan and was so successful she was able to pay it back in nine months. At the Lewisham Plus Bromley credit union in south London we meet William, who has come to see about a loan. William fell into difficulties when he lost his job in catering and ended up sleeping rough on the streets for eight months. Now he has a new home and he’d like a loan of £500 to kit it out with all the basics.

A couple from Cornwall swap the rat race for the open road. Jess and Ben hire out restored vintage camper vans thanks to a £5,000 ethical loan that helped turn their dream of running a business into a glorious glamping reality. A young businessman appeals to the internet and gets the funding he needs to set up a ‘green’ business. 28-year-old Stephen has a passion for plants and needed £1250 in crowdfunding to help him branch out in a new direction. And a mum starts the savings habit early to give her children a lesson in finance. Adenike and her children’s savings join the £890 million pounds currently deposited with UK credit unions, which they can loan to others at a much lower interest rate.

James wants a £5,000 loan to pay for his wedding. The only thing he hasn’t done is ask his girlfriend to marry him! But as James has missed payments on a previous loan, will the Cambrian Credit Union say yes to his request? Karen and her father go into business together combining the craft of glassblowing and Scotland’s famous tipple, creating whisky gifts. A £16,000 ethical loan helps a transgender entrepreneur and her friend take control of their own destiny after struggling with employment. They have set up a takeaway with a Portuguese twist in Preston, Lancashire. Patricia believes she faced a lot of stigma when looking for work because of being transgender, and Adele has chronic fatigue syndrome, often making it very difficult to work normal hours. Mel from Bolton went on a spending binge that cost £40,000. Unable to pay her mortgage, Mel lost her home, but with help from a Christian group she has now paid off her debts and gives advice to others in a similar situation.