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The measures have been a lifesaver for small businesses. Jennifer Bailey, 42, CEO of Calla Shoes, has used the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to retain her valued staff members. She also took a Bounce Back Loan to help with cashflow.

“This is ideal for me,” says Jennifer, from Newton-leWillows, Lancashire. “The cost of hiring and retraining staff can be considerable for small businesses, so this works really well.

“January and February are a quieter period for retailers in normal times, but with Covid it could be slower than usual, so the extension of the scheme means peace of mind for me and my team knowing we can survive this period of uncertainty.”

Before the pandemic, Calla Shoes was growing, but because Jennifer specialises in smart shoes for work or special occasions such as weddings and parties, it was hit hard. “Last year I only had one member of staff and now I’ve got three,” she says. “It’s not just about skillset for me; it’s about loving the brand and loving what we do. The staff that I’ve found absolutely encompass all the values I want. We’re in touch regularly and what they’re worried about is not having a job guarantee at the end of it all. But if I can keep them on like this, it helps to reassure them that they won’t be out of a job. I need them.”

Now, with the extension of the furlough scheme, Jennifer was able to furlough all three staff, and knowing that their jobs are

STRONG SUIT Chris is glad of the furlough

scheme safe gives her peace of mind.

“My business is my baby and these are the first staff I’d taken on, so I would have hated to tell them they’d lost their jobs,” she says.

When it comes to the Bounce Back Loan, Jennifer welcomes the new flexibility around paying it back: “I’ve got longer to make the repayments, which really