Creating Space for Change: Make a Difference Provision Expands with Small Business Loan Support
A Sheffield-based education provider has secured a five-figure sum Small Business Loan through the Business Enterprise Fund and NPIF II scheme.
The funding is helping Make a Difference Provision Ltd expand its facilities and create vital therapeutic learning environments for young people who are struggling in mainstream education.
Founded by former deputy headteacher and education consultant, Adrian Anderson, Make a Difference Provision was incorporated in December 2023 as a response to the lack of quality, therapeutic alternative education for vulnerable young people. With decades of experience in school improvement and leadership coaching through his consultancy Make a Difference Education, Adrian saw an urgent need to go beyond consultancy, to build something tangible that could directly support students falling through the cracks.
“There’s a real shortage of provision for students with complex needs, especially when it comes to accessing therapeutic support. Waiting lists are long, and exclusions are rising. I wanted to create a space that addressed that head-on.”
Adrian Anderson, Make a Difference Provision Ltd
Make a Difference Provision officially opened its doors in September 2024 in a Grade II listed building. The initial refurbishment and staffing were funded personally, without external investment. As demand rapidly grew, so did the need for more classroom space, staff, and specialist resources. That’s when Adrian turned to the Business Enterprise Fund.
Working closely with investment manager Emma Bashforth, Adrian successfully secured funding through a Small Business Loan to help grow his business. The funding allowed Make a Difference Provision to transform key parts of the building, including the development of a dedicated life skills classroom and a warm, welcoming dining space-areas designed to foster safety, independence, and emotional wellbeing for some of the region’s most vulnerable children.
“Emma was fantastic-responsive, clear, and supportive throughout the process. I never felt left in the dark, which is so important when you're running a growing business and juggling a hundred moving parts.”
Adrian, founder of Make a Difference Provision Ltd
“It’s been a privilege to support Make a Difference Provision. Adrians vision is powerful, and the impact this space is having on young people is both immediate and long-term. This is exactly the kind of social impact business that our loans are designed to support.”
Emma Bashforth, Investment Manager at BEF
Looking ahead, the organisation has ambitious plans. The adjacent building is already in sight for expansion, with the goal of increasing capacity, growing the team, and offering support to even more children in need of trauma-informed, personalised education.
By creating a calm, caring, and high-staffed learning environment tailored to children with undiagnosed or complex needs, Make a Difference Provision is living up to its name-and laying the foundations for lasting change in education.