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.