Hello From Westminster!

So, it's all been kept very secret, but last month I was invited to Downing Street as part of the Small Business Saturday celebrations, and today I'm tabling at the Christmas fair in The Treasury Drum next door (we were re-located at the very last moment!). 

I'm one of 28 businesses plucked from the 'SmallBiz100' to host a stall in a cosy Christmas Fair chalet, sell my illustrated goodies, draw live portraits and discuss the importance of small businesses in the UK. I'm hoping I'll also be able to voice some of my opinions, praise and, ahem, concerns over current support for freelancers as well.

2014 Downing Street Christmas Fair. Picture by Suzi Ovens

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots campaign supporting small businesses and promoting the idea of shopping locally and independently (certainly appropriate between the madness of Black Friday and the run up to Christmas). 

The Christmas Fair event is hosted on the eve of Small Business Saturday, and each of the 'SmallBiz100' have been invited to gather together to highlight the importance of (and celebrate!) small businesses across the UK. It's full of media, news and political-types, so keep an eye out for me on social media (try #SmallBizSatUK). I'll also be tweeting pictures and updates throughout the day.

Since I'm in Westminster, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to unveil an illustration I've been working on, focused on the idea of the power of the public's voice in current affairs. I had a lot of fun illustrating this at the start of this week (and I love what an appropriate audience it has here today). I think it's really important for us to feel like we do have a voice in these times (especially after events like on Wednesday), and it is worth continuing to speak up on the issues that really matter to us, as tough as it may seem to be heard.

So, as tomorrow is Small Business Saturday, I'll be posting illustrations celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the UK's small businesses! 

I think we're such an important bunch, and I think it's vital that future small businesses and entrepreneurs feel secure, supported, confident and creative enough in starting up their own companies and forging their own paths. I'm proud to be representing us today! For the sake of innovation and, hell, an interesting world to live in, I will always fight to support small businesses, freelancers and those brave enough to break out on their own.