Cumbria-based leadership and management training specialist Dove Nest Group is focused on future growth after receiving a six-figure loan from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
The funding is helping Dove Nest Group to invest in its residential training centre, converting the downstairs offices into accessible accommodation and facilities for disabled and wheelchair users. Located at Crosthwaite Mill the facility is a preserved 18th century corn mill, located within its own riverside grounds in the secluded Lyth Valley in Kendal. The firm also has offices located in Millness, Crooklands.
Dove Nest Group was founded by husband and wife team, Dave and Karen Moore. It has over 45 years of experience developing and delivering world-class training and development solutions to a wide variety of clients from graduate to director level. This includes leadership, coaching, talent development and psychometric profiling. Dove Nest Group also offer a wide range of business psychology services to complement development programmes. In it’s recent Ofsted Inspection, in June 2026, it was graded as Expected Standard in all areas.
Beth Burrow, Finance Director at Dove Nest Group said: “Our training facility offers a fantastic retreat where attendees can take time away to focus on their career and personal development. This marks an exciting new chapter for us as we look to preserve the heritage of our historic corn mill while modernising it for the future. This funding allows us to transform our ground-floor offices into high-quality, accessible residential spaces, ensuring that wheelchair users and those with disabilities can fully enjoy our facilities. It is a step forward for our future growth, and we are incredibly grateful to Caroline Turley and the team at FW Capital whose fantastic support has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life. It’s been two years in the making and it’s fantastic to have secured this funding."
Caroline Turley, Investment Executive at FW Capital added: “Dove Nest Group is a well-established family run business that delivers accredited leadership and management training to organisations across the UK. Their training facility is housed in a stunning Grade II listed building, and through this funding, we are helping them sensitively adapt the site for the future. By transforming the space to be fully accessible for residents with mobility issues, this project is ensuring inclusivity is at the heart of their growth."
Sue Barnard, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “We’re committed to backing businesses across every part of the North through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, ensuring business in cities and more remote parts of the region like Cumbria have the same access to finance. With the support in place, Dove Nest Group will be able to expand the accessibility of its services, ensuring everyone can benefit and upskill themselves, of which has benefits for the wider regional economy and labour market.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.
