Posted: 23rd May 2016
Elaine Pritchard, co-leader of WiRE’s Burton-on-Trent networking group, has been named as one of 15 entrepreneurs around the UK to become a new Small Business Saturday Champion for 2016.
Her remit is to promote this year’s event, on Saturday December 3, in and around her home region.
Elaine runs Caittom Publishing, which offers professional writing services and training to help businesses create and share more effective content online and raise their profile on social media. Her company was one of Small Business Saturday’s Small Biz 100 last year.
She said: “Small Business Saturday plays an important role in highlighting what small businesses can offer in terms of the range of products and services and their levels of customer service.
“Most people in this country either own a small business, work for a small business or know somebody who does, so I am delighted to have been asked to champion Small Business Saturday 2016 in the East Staffordshire area and to do what I can to get people thinking big about thinking small.”
On Small Business Saturday 2015, Elaine was one of the Burton Small Business Group that organised a ‘flash conga’ around Burton town centre to highlight and celebrate the important role that small businesses play in the community and the local economy. You can watch the video of their fun day, which was supported by a number of local WiRE members, here.
Elaine is already working on plans for the build-up to this year’s event and is keen to help any WiRE members who want to find out more about how their business could benefit from Small Business Saturday.
She added: “Being one of the #SmallBiz100 was a great boost to my business: it gave me the chance to meet and network with some inspiring businesses; a day when my business was promoted nationally across digital media and I met Chancellor George Osborne at a London reception.
“I’d urge all WiRE members to head over to the Small Business Saturday website and register for their newsletter that will let you know when applications are open for the 2016 #SmallBiz100. While you’re there you can also add the details of your business to the website’s small business finder.”
Now entering its fourth year Small Business Saturday is already the UK’s most
successful small business campaign. Last year an estimated £623 million was spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday itself – up £119 million on the previous year and an increase in spending of 24%. The UK’s small businesses between them provide 60% of private sector jobs and nearly 50% of private sector turnover.
Michelle Ovens, Campaign Director for Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Last year, small business owners, local authorities, a wide range of other organisations and members of the public embraced Small Business Saturday more than ever before. This year we aim to reach more people, get more engagement, and encourage more people to support small businesses because of the benefits they offer to both our local and national economies. Our Champions have a crucial role to play in mobilising that support and in ensuring that Small Business Saturday comes to life for small business owners in their local areas. They are our feet on the ground.”
