Leighton Buzzard's entrepreneurs to be spotlighted by Small Business Saturday tour

A national roadshow to support small businesses will shine a spotlight on Leighton Buzzard’s entrepreneurs when it pays a visit to the town this month, with local firms being encouraged to sign up and get involved.

Arriving in Leighton Buzzard on November 25, The Tour will visit independent businesses, leaders, and experts from across the small business community. Interviews with local small firms will be streamed via Small Business Saturday’s social media channels.

Business owners across the country will also be able to take part in a month-long, jam-packed online programme of free training and skills support that will run alongside, including virtual workshops, webinars, and mentoring, on a range of small business topics. A fun-filled ‘Happy Hour’ will also take place with prizes from local small businesses.

Having set off from the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, The Tour has a strong focus on sustainability, to highlight the critical role of small businesses in helping the UK achieve its goal of becoming net zero by 2050.

It features a fleet of zero emissions vehicles - including an electric van, car, and scooter, as well as a ‘delivery style’ push bike – to reflect the sustainable switches many small businesses are making or considering.

“We are so excited to get back on the road and put the spotlight on fantastic small businesses in Leighton Buzzard and across the country, as well as opening up skills and networking opportunities to millions of entrepreneurs online,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday.

“I would encourage all small businesses across Bedfordshire to get involved, whether it is in person or digitally.”

Once again supported by BT Skills for Tomorrow, The Tour will visit over 20 towns and cities across the UK during November, as part of the official count down to Small Business Saturday on December 4.

Now in its ninth year in the UK, 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.

This year the campaign is encouraging the public to use Small Business Saturday as a chance to say thank you to small businesses for supporting communities throughout the pandemic.

Last year Small Business Saturday achieved record-breaking success and saw an estimated £1.1 billion spent with small businesses across the UK on the day, according to research from American Express, the campaign’s founder and principal supporter in the UK.

To get involved in The Tour and book one-to-one mentoring sessions, small businesses should visit the ‘My Business Section’ on the Small Business Saturday website https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/my-small-business.

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