Labour duo make plea for local trade (My Brecon)

MID and West Wales Labour AMs, Rebecca Evans and Joyce Watson are urging shoppers to support independent traders this Small Business Saturday.
The UK’s first Small Business Saturday is a nation-wide campaign to showcase, celebrate, support and recognise local independent traders on Saturday December 7.
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Speaking in Questions to the Welsh Economy Minister this week, Mrs Evans said: ‘Independent traders are vital to the rural economy and to the tourism sector, and Small Business Saturday provides an opportunity to recognise their contribution and to encourage people to rediscover the fantastic businesses on their doorstep.”
The Welsh Government is actively promoting Small Business Saturday through a Social Media campaign to highlight the importance of shopping locally to support start-up and small businesses, and to raise awareness of support available for small businesses via the Business Wales service.
Economy Minister, Edwina Hart responded: ‘Small Business Saturday and the social media campaign that we are running are really essential, because it is very important to raise awareness of the support available to small businesses via the Business Wales service.’
Supporting the campaign, fellow AM for Mid and West Wales, Joyce Watson, said: ‘Local, small, independent businesses are what give our towns and villages their unique character. So, in the run-up to Christmas, I hope Small Business Saturday encourages people to shop locally and put money back into their community.’
In a Ministerial written statement earlier this week the Minister said: ‘There are literally tens of thousands of small businesses in Wales, all offering great products and great services and I would urge everyone to make a concerted effort to support these independent businesses starting on Small Business Saturday.’
Mrs Evans added: ‘Small and medium sized enterprises are the lifeblood of the Welsh economy and need local support to survive and thrive. Small Business Saturday gives us the opportunity to celebrate these great businesses and gives them a chance to raise their profile and generate business.
‘Their on-going success is also essential if we want to have bustling and vibrant centres in our towns and villages so I hope that those who take up this challenge will not only discover the benefits of buying from local independent traders but will continue to support them in the future.’