New agricultural business partner appointed

There will be new and old faces for Steve Handsley to meet in the Warwickshire farming community as he starts his new position at Yorkshire Bank.

The 53-year-old has been appointed agriculture business partner at Yorkshire Bank’s Financial Solutions Centre at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry which was a position he held with another bank in Warwickshire between 1998 and 2002.

Steve is looking forward to catching up with old contacts as well as making new acquaintances and spreading the word about Yorkshire Bank’s Investing for Growth project which aims to help trading businesses take advantage of quality growth opportunities.

"I will predominantly be visiting farmers in the Warwickshire region along with accountants and consultants from the industry and it will be good to meet people again that I used to deal with on a regular basis," he said.

"I enjoy dealing with people in the farming industry and the type of farming in Warwickshire is very mixed.

"There is a great deal of agricultural knowledge among the advisers at Yorkshire Bank and it an area of our business which I am sure will grow in the coming months and years."

Steve, who enjoys gardening and walking in his spare time near his home in Ashorne in Warwickshire, will be discussing the funding options available for farmers to grow their businesses within the Investing for Growth scheme.

He added: "I am a banker with an interest in farming and I believe in letting farmers do what they do best.

"That is why the new Investing for Growth programme which has been introduced by Yorkshire Bank is ideal since it provides the finances for businesses to launch a new product, invest in new machinery, win a contract, expand or buy their premises or hire more staff.

"I have worked in banking since I was 17-years-old and I have seen many ups and downs in the economy.

"This programme has been introduced in response to the demands of our customers and we hope it will allow the many successful businesses that are operating despite these trying times to continue to flourish."