The Pine in the Valley – Handmade Eco Jewellery in Oxfordshire has been selected as one of the nation’s 100 most impressive small firms by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign, as it kicks off its second decade in the UK.
The Pine in the Valley – Handmade Eco Jewellery, is a one-woman jewellery business which aims to celebrate all things eco: making keepsake jewellery from recycled sterling silver and ‘junk’ such as old pottery, sea glass, and repurposed plastic. It was founded by Jen Morant-Smith in 2020. Following a nationwide search it has been chosen as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up, which showcases a line-up of 100 of the most inspiring independent businesses from across the nation.
Small Business Saturday will return on 2 December 2023, with a mission to support and celebrate the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses. With small firms facing huge challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis, the campaign is more vital than ever as it moves in to its second decade in the UK.
Jen says: “I’m delighted to be picked as one of the 100 small businesses celebrated and supported by Small Business Saturday UK this year. It’s been a really tough year for all small businesses, spiralling costs and a cost of living crisis means its tough out there and small businesses are struggling.”
“I’m grateful for every bit of support I’m given, enabling me to do a job I love, which is making jewellery with minimal damage to our environment foe example, from mining and using single-use-plastics. By working with recycled materials, including discarded glass and plastics, I’m challenged to creatively make them pretty and valuable again. Slow eco fashion has to be our future and my first steps along this road have led me to create designs I’m really proud of. I’m excited to see where this ethos takes me in the coming years, and hopefully others will feel inspired to see making eco choices as a positive challenge rather than a costly inconvenience.
The Pine in the Valley – Handmade Eco Jewellery was profiled by the campaign on Friday 15th September as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK.
“It’s fantastic to celebrate The Pine in the Valley as part of this year’s campaign” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK.
“The impressive small businesses featured in this year’s SmallBiz100 sum up the phenomenal contribution that small firms make to our economy and local communities.”
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 campaign was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK.
On Small Business Saturday customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent boutiques and eateries to small service and b2b based businesses like wholesalers and digital marketers. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions.
Over the time the campaign has run in the UK it has engaged millions of people each year and seen over billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday attracts huge attention on the day itself, with an impact that lasts all year. Last year the campaign trended at number one in the UK on social media platform X (formally Twitter), with the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London among those publicly supporting the campaign. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign.
To get involved in Small Business Saturday UK visit smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com
