Rutland County Council has paid out more than £12.2million worth of government-funded grants to local businesses to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 1,085 Rutland businesses have received financial support through one of three schemes administered by the council: the Small Business Grant, the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grant or the Local Authority Discretionary Grants.

Following notification from government, these grant schemes closed on August 28. However, other forms of COVID-19 business support, such as the national Small Business Leadership Programme, remain ongoing.

Councillor Gordon Brown, Cabinet Member for Finance at Rutland County Council, said: "Government-funded grants have given a lifeline to businesses across the UK who faced unthinkable hardship because of COVID-19.

"The Council used every resource it could to set up and administer this grant process, locally. Thanks to the hard work of all those involved and the cooperation of local businesses, we have distributed more that £12million to more than 1,000 businesses in just five short months.

"This is a tremendous effort and one that's helped countless people employed within the County."

Lucy Lewin, Managing Director of Little Angels Nursery and Preschool in Uppingham, said: "When I found out that my grant application had been successful I almost cried. It was literally the best news ever. The money ensured that my business survived, that my team were safe in employment and that the families we look after could carry on getting support."

For more information about the advice and support that's available to local businesses in Rutland as a result of COVID-19, please visit: www.rutland.gov.uk/covidbusiness.