Small Business Saturday's 10 year roadshow set to spotlight Belfast

Thursday 3 November 2022

Small firms from across Northern Ireland will be put on the map by the Small Business Saturday campaign, as it unveils a nationwide roadshow to support and celebrate the nation’s small businesses as they face mounting challenges over the winter.

Marking ten years of the campaign in the UK, Small Business Saturday’s Tour will arrive in Belfast on 3 November and will go on to visit independent businesses across the city, spotlighting local business owners and community leaders through interviews on social media.

This will include visits to local small business, such as local HR support provider Evolve HR, skincare specialist Beyond Skin Clinic and contemporary ceramics, textiles and art gift shop Wrapped up. Other local entrepreneurs from across the area are being encouraged to sign up and get involved.

Once again supported by BT Skills for Tomorrow, ‘The Tour’ will set off in Scotland on 31 October, and go on to visit 23 towns and cities across the UK during November, as part of the official count down to Small Business Saturday on 3 December.

As the roadshow makes its way around the UK there will also be opportunities for business owners across Northern Ireland to take part in Small Business Saturday’s wider online programme of free business support that will run for a month from 31 October.

Virtual workshops and webinars on a range of business topics will be offered each day, as well as free one-to-one mentoring and opportunities for small businesses to tell their stories and network on Small Business Saturday’s Facebook channel.

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.

“We are so excited to be visiting small businesses in Belfast and across the UK, as we count down to Small Business Saturday with this tour,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK.

“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 Belfast to get involved, whether it is in person or online.”

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities. The iconic campaign is celebrating its tenth year in the UK this year, with principal supporter American Express.

Chris Sims, Managing Director Small and Medium Enterprise at BT, said: “The Tour is a fantastic initiative to reach out and support small businesses with the skills they need to scale up in key areas such as digital marketing and sustainability. We are delighted to be supporting it again this year, bringing insight from both our BT Skills for Tomorrow offering, as well as our new Digital Marketing Hub. In these challenging times for businesses we hope this provides a catalyst for growth in the lead up to the festive period, which is typically a very important time of year for these types of enterprise.”

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, whilst also highlighting the vital role small firms play in the race to net zero.

To get involved in The Tour locally, or book virtual one-to-one mentoring sessions and workshops, small businesses should visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/the-tour

Thursday 3 November 2022