Spinsonic Entertainment was one of 100 small businesses represented at a Downing Street reception on 3 December.

The Oldbury company, which sells handmade hula hoops and runs hula hoop fitness classes, was one of 100 businesses invited to attend the UK’s fourth annual Small Business Saturday event in London. Rachel Conlisk, Spinsonic’s owner, got to mingle with small business managers from across the country, as well as Small Business Minister, Margot James, at Number 10. The reception is an opportunity to celebrate the success of the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses and the contribution they make to the UK’s economy, providing jobs and supporting communities.

Small Business Saturday is a campaign which helps raise awareness and provide a support network for small businesses across the UK – from family businesses to local shops, online businesses to wholesalers, business services to small manufacturers. The aim is to encourage as many people as possible to use their local high street and support small, independent traders.

This year Small Business Saturday fell on 3 December. Over 75 per cent of local councils actively supported the initiative with free parking, networking events and Christmas fairs, helping the #SmallBizSatUK hashtag to trend at number one all day and reach over 25 million people.

You can register with The Small Business Saturday network on their website, sign up to a newsletter and even download a cook book, with recipes inspired by the small businesses featured.

Spinsonic is also one of the Sandwell companies featured on our December advent calendar and Rachel has written up an account of her Downing Street experience here. Spoiler – the toilets are not up to scratch!