Maidenhead Small Business invited to Downing Street to mark Small Business Saturday

A small business from Maidenhead, Berkshire was one of less than 100 from
around the countryinvited to represent the UK’s 5.2 million small
businesses in Downing Street on Friday to mark the UK’s second Small
Business Saturday the following day - on December 6th - when small,
independent businesses in communities across the country were put in the
national spotlight.

Multi award winning Poodles and Pompadours designs and makes pet
accessories inspired by the 1950's and runs a pet grooming parlour
following the same theme. Owner Hayley Woodham will attend a Small
Business Saturday Christmas fair inside Downing Street to be attended by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne and businesswoman and The
Apprentice star, Karen Brady.

Small businesses around the UK planned events, promotions and other
activities to attract clients and customers to them both on December 6th
but also as a way of creating a mindset for people to more readily think
of doing business with small, local companies. Already more than 30,000
small businesses around the UK have engaged with the campaign on various
social media platforms, many of which have downloaded marketing packs and
posters to display on their premises.

“The first Small Business Saturday last year was an exceptional example of
collaboration and co-operation with small businesses teaming up in
communities around the UK,” explains National Campaign Director Michelle
Ovens.

“We always said we wanted this to be the start of something amazing; a
regular event that shines a light on small businesses throughout the UK in
a way which is hugely beneficial to both the local and the national
economy. Small Business Saturday reinforces that message and demonstrates
the level of diversity, innovation and talent that is active within our
small business sector,” Michelle adds.

Michelle goes onto say that, with 5.2 million small businesses in the UK,
the chances are that if you don’t own one, then you work for one or know
somebody who does.

“This isn’t some abstract economic concept,” she says. “This is personal.
It’s about getting out and supporting your friends, your neighbours and
your family members and reinforcing your local community and economy.”

Speaking about Small Business Saturday 2014, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, George Osborne, comments:

"Britain's small business owners deserve our support. They are the ones
who take the risks to create new opportunities and new jobs, that show off
British ingenuity and innovation and I am glad that once again they will
be able to be the focus of all our attention and support."

Small Business Saturday UK has attracted the support of leading business
organisations including Federation of Small Businesses, the Association of
City and Town Management, Association of Convenience Stores, Northern
Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, as well as corporates like
American Express, O2, Lloyds Bank and NatWest and prominent entrepreneurs
Theo Paphitis, Karren Brady and Martha Lane Fox.

More information on Small Business Saturday, participating retailers and
details on promotions and other incentives to ‘shop locally’ can be found
on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturdayuk) Twitter page (@SmallBizSatUk)
and website (www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com).