Thame’s Small Business Saturday gets star treatment!

DOWNTON Abbey star, Samantha Bond, aka Lady Rosamund Painswick, will be in Thame on December 3, when she will present the prizes in a Christmas shop window display competition, part of Small Business Saturday in the town.

Samantha, also recognised for her role as Miss Moneypenny to Piers Brosnan’s James Bond and other roles including in the Hercule Poirot films, will present the first prize of a case of Prosecco, a consultation with retail marketing expert, Keith Slater, and a trophy to the winning shop, as well as runner-up prizes.

The winners of the Small Business Saturday Young Entrepreneurs Competition will also be announced, following a Dragon’s Den-style presentation to the panel of judges on the same day. The winner will receive a cash prize of £500, a year’s mentoring from a business expert, and a trophy. There are also prizes for two runners-up. The prizes will be given by John Howell MP and Tim Luscombe of Thames Valley Business Advisers, Chair of the judging panel.

The organisers of Small Business Saturday in Thame have lined up nine, free-to-attend workshops and one2ones with several business experts, and there will also be entertainment throughout the day, provided by the Thame Pop Choir and Stagecoach Thame.

Small Business Saturday is a national campaign that puts small, independent businesses across the country in the national spotlight, using the theme ‘Small Business Big Difference’.

The organisers are expecting lots of interest from local small businesses as well as from anyone planning to start a small business, and advise pre-booking to avoid disappointment. Events can be pre-booked at www.smallbizthame.uk where more information about the workshops, one2ones and other events can also be found.