A website to help disabled entrepreneurs access targeted advice launched at the British Library this week, with access to finance high on the agenda. Enabled4Growth.com (E4G), run by the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has advisors on board who understand the additional hurdles faced by disabled entrepreneurs.

Its suite of services includes working with disabled entrepreneurs on preparing a plan suitable for raising investment, advice on what investors are looking for, and help in identifying and applying for loans, grants, overdraft facilities and equity investment. E4G will then host 'pitch for funding' events.

Amar Latif, founder of Traveleyes, a business for blind and visually impaired travellers, has a visual impairment and says the disability makes accessing finance that much harder. “It was a real hurdle to get people to take me seriously. I was this blind guy who runs a travel business asking for a loan to expand. It is very tough to secure potential investment and from listening to fellow entrepreneurs I hear the same story time and time again.”

Jane Fletcher, Leonard Cheshire Disability Director of Innovative Projects, believes E4G's help in getting a strong funding proposal together will help to challenge people's perceptions about disabled entrepreneurs. “Enabled4Growth’s free access to finance support is one way to help your business make that step.”

Leonard Cheshire Disability supports more than 21,000 disabled people throughout the UK and works in 52 countries. easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou stumps up £50,000 each year for the The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs, which is presented as part of the Growing Business Awards.