Aberdeenshire Council backs Small Business Saturday
Aberdeenshire Council is proudly supporting the forthcoming Small Business Saturday event, the nationwide campaign celebrating the UK’s much-loved 5.45 million small businesses.
The annual event encourages people across the country to show their support – especially by choosing to spend and shop small – and this year takes place this Saturday (December 6).
Small Business Saturday is part of a wider, year-round initiative which spotlights the vital contribution small businesses make to our communities and our economy.
Here in Aberdeenshire, that impact is significant, with 12,410 of our 12,955 businesses being small enterprises, supporting nearly 46,000 jobs across the region.
As part of the campaign’s national promotional activity, the Small Business Saturday Tour once again hit the road, visiting 23 towns and cities to shine a light on the people and stories behind the UK’s vibrant small business community.
Back in November, Aberdeenshire Council’s Economic Development team was delighted to welcome the tour to Banchory and the surrounding area, giving local retail and hospitality businesses the chance to be showcased on a national stage.
Following their own selection process, the Small Business Saturday team visited a range of local favourites, including Bentleys of Banchory, Deeside Stitches, Stinky Beasties, Milton Brasserie and Milton Art Gallery.
Each business embraced the opportunity to share its story and throughout the day, the tour captured behind-the-scenes content and filmed promotional videos highlighting why supporting small, local businesses matters – content now being shared widely across social media.
The visit aligned with a number of the council’s ongoing initiatives, including Aberdeenshire Loves Local, the Aberdeenshire Gift Card and support programmes delivered by Enterprising Aberdeenshire and Business Gateway. It also coincided with Aberdeenshire Restaurant Week, further strengthening the collective push to champion local enterprise.
Any local entrepreneurs or businesses looking for support to start-up or grow can get in touch with the local Business Gateway office or Enterprising Aberdeenshire team https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/business-support
And the Aberdeenshire Gift Card is a great way to shop local this Christmas, supporting some 400 businesses in our villages and towns across the region. Our digital gift card is the ideal way to treat someone to the fantastic products, services and experiences on offer in our area, and at the same time protecting vital local jobs and ensuring our communities prosper.
To purchase a digital card and view all participating businesses, visit www.aberdeenshiregiftcard.com or email aberdeenshireloveslocal@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Cllr Alan Turner, chair of the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “In the run-up to Small Business Saturday, we will continue to promote the shop local message through our social media channels, business newsletters and wider communications. Businesses themselves are encouraged to get involved by downloading a free marketing pack from the Small Business Saturday website. I would encourage everyone to show your support on December 6th - shop small, shop local and celebrate the businesses that help Aberdeenshire thrive.”
For more information on getting involved, visit the Small Business Saturday https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com and follow Aberdeenshire Council’s social media channels.