Small businesses in Derby will enjoy a boost in the spotlight when the Small Business Saturday campaign roadshow pulls in to the city this Friday, 11 November.
Marking ten years of the campaign in the UK, Small Business Saturday’s Tour will arrive at Cathedral Green at 10 am and then visit independent business owners across the city to highlight their stories on social media.
This will include visits to local small businesses such as vintage clothing shop Threadz in Sadler Gate and silversmith Crzy Best at Etwall Street.
Supported by BT Skills for Tomorrow, the tour kicked off in Glasgow and will visit over 20 towns and cities this autumn as part of the official countdown to the main Small Business Saturday event on 3 December. The grass-roots campaign aims to celebrate small business success and encourage people to shop local.
Alongside the physical roadshow, small businesses can take part in a wider online programme of free business support for the rest of November. There are virtual workshops and webinars on a range of business topics to book on the Small Business Saturday website each day, as well as free one-to-one mentoring.
A Small Business Happy Hour on Instagram will also take place each day with giveaways from local businesses all over the country that everyone can enter.
Councillor Steve Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation, Strategic Planning and Transport for Derby City Council said:
Shopping locally at small businesses creates a real sense of community and there are so many wonderful small businesses in Derby doing brilliant things.
Small businesses, sole traders and start-ups have faced a host of challenges over many years, including most recently the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. There’s never been a better time to celebrate their brilliance and resilience or to show them our support.
Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday UK said:
We are so excited to be visiting small businesses in Derby and across the UK, as we count down to Small Business Saturday on 3 December.
This year’s campaign is all about shining a light on the nation’s fantastic small firms and showing them some major love, at a time when many are facing a lot of challenges. I would encourage all small businesses across Derbyshire to get involved, whether it is in person or online.
With sustainability and energy saving high on the agenda for small firms, the tour features a fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles – including an electric van and ‘delivery style’ push bike – that reflect the sustainable switches many small business owners are making, while highlighting the vital role small firms play in the race to net zero.