Downing Street hosts business owners for Small Business Saturday

Amelia Hooley who runs Southern Cygnet Swim School in Wimborne and other small business owners from the length and breadth of the UK visited Downing Street last Thursday 30^th November 2017 to mark Small Business Saturday, which took place last Saturday, December 2^nd.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, Small Business Saturday is the nationwide campaign to support, inspire and promote the UK's 5.7 million small businesses. This year it has again selected 100 small businesses for the Small Biz 100.

Small Business Saturday receives widespread support from local authorities across the country, from business and from government. At the Downing Street reception, small business owners were welcomed by Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State at the Department for International Trade, Claire Perry MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Caroline Nokes MP, Minister for Government Resilience and Efficiency.

Michelle Ovens MBE, Director, Small Business Saturday, said:

"Small Business Saturday shines a spotlight on our local businesses to show how vitally important they are to individual communities and the UK as a whole. We are encouraging everyone to support the small businesses near them this Saturday, by shopping local, and also giving them their backing into 2018 and beyond."

Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said:

"It's great to welcome so many business owners to Number 10 to show our appreciation for the crucial contribution they make to Britain. Small businesses are vital to a thriving and competitive economy that is fit for the future, so it's great to see that the number of small businesses in the UK has been growing in recent years. We hope the country will join us in championing the UK's small businesses and support them this Saturday."

Amelia Hooley, Director of Southern Cygnet Swim School in Wimborne, said:

"It is such a privilege to have been selected as one of the top 100 small businesses across the UK this year as part of the Small Business Saturday 2017 UK campaign! Our fantastic team of 15 swim teachers and helpers play a huge part in making the swim school a wonderful community for our swimmers to join whilst building their confidence in and around the water and being taught how to become safe and happy swimmers"

The UK's small businesses made £717 million on Small Business Saturday in 2016, which was a 15 percent rise on the previous year according to research by principal supporter, American Express.