Ruth Pringle wins business award for Small Business Saturday work

Ruth Pringle with the FSB Business Buddy trophy

Rochdale businesswoman Ruth Pringle who has worked to promote Small Business Saturday (SBS) since it launched in the UK in 2013 has won a special award for her voluntary work promoting the scheme.

Accountant Ms Pringle, who is organising a festive market at Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre on 3 December to mark SBS this year, was awarded a Business Buddy Award by the Federation of Small Businesses’ Greater Manchester region on Thursday (3 November) to coincide with the SBS bus visiting Manchester as part of a UK wide tour promoting the initiative.

Ms Pringle, who runs Pringle Accountants, has organised various SBS events in Rochdale in previous years, resulting in her invitation to Number 10 in 2014 as part of a delegation promoting Small Business Saturday at the highest level.

FSB – the UK’s largest business support organisation – said her award was for her ‘unwavering’ commitment to SBS over the past number of years for no benefit of her own.

The FSB Business Buddy Award is presented to individuals, groups or organisations who go above and beyond for the good of their local business community – with Ms Pringle the first recipient of 2016.

Simon Edmondson, FSB Regional Chairman for Greater Manchester, said: “We don’t issue this award very often so Ruth should be very proud to be the first in 2016 to receive it.

“For a small business owner like Ruth, time is a precious commodity you can’t afford to give away for free too often, but that’s exactly what she has done when it’s come to Small Business Saturday, and in doing so has demonstrated a selfless community spirit all for the benefit of other businesses.

“Her unwavering commitment to the SBS cause over the years has not gone unnoticed by FSB. Ruth is both a small business and a community stalwart who has done Rochdale proud. For this, she is a very worthy recipient of our Business Buddy Award.”

Ms Pringle said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised by an organisation like the FSB, and know the work I’ve done for Small Business Saturday is held in such high regard.

“This year’s market will be a fantastic way to start the festive shopping season in Rochdale, and I hope it will give local shoppers another good reason to head in to our fantastic town and see what’s on offer.

“Small Business Saturday is all about recognising and supporting independent retailers, and I think that’s why I really get behind this event. We need our town centres to be buzzing, vibrant places, and anything I can do to help Rochdale on that front is my pleasure."

To nominate a person or organisation for an FSB Business Buddy Award, email details to: robert.downes@fsb.org.uk