A WEEK from today a Ryedale town will mark its status as a bustling, thriving local centre with a series of events centred on a national celebration of small businesses.

On Wednesday, November 2, the Small Business Saturday bus will roll into Helmsley, accompanied by workshops, networking opportunities and presentations by local food ventures.

New town crier David Hinde will perform his first official duty, an Angel Advent Calendar campaign will be launched to support Ryedale Food Bank, and a plaque commemorating Helmsley’s success in the Great British High Street Awards will be unveiled on the town hall by David Kerfoot, vice-chair of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership.

The Small Business Saturday bus will be in Helmsley’s Market Place from 10am to 1pm before heading on to Boroughbridge, the only Yorkshire stops on its national tour before the event itself on Saturday, December 3.

Helmsley in Business (HiB), which was behind the bid to be a Yorkshire stop, has asked local authorities and small enterprises from the wider region to come along and get involved on the day, when there will be free talks, free marketing packs, networking opportunities and advice on how to get involved with the Small Business Saturday campaign.

Helmsley has been an active supporter and participant in Small Business Saturday since its launch in 2012. The Helmsley stop coincides with the day the campaign has dedicated to local business Duncombe Sawmill, which was announced as one of the Small Biz 100 in August. One small business is profiled per day for the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday itself.

HiB chairman Carolyn Frank said: “It will be a great morning for visitors, with loads going on, and we very much hope businesses from around the county will come along and take part. It’s a great opportunity to find out more about Small Business Saturday and how you can get involved – it’s been fantastic for Helmsley over the last four years, and I think the community and local businesses have both benefitted immensely.

“The bus tour will also be a fantastic networking event, where people can come along and make new connections. Hopefully the sun will be shining, but if not, there’s plenty of room on the bus too. I also hope many of our local residents will come along to the unveiling of our GBHighSt award plaque, and to meet our newly appointed town crier. It should be a great day all round.”

Also next Wednesday businesses in the town will launch an Angel Advent Calendar appeal to boost supplies at Ryedale Food Bank ahead of the festive season.

Using the idea of the ‘reverse advent calendar’ as inspiration, where people collect one item every day in the run-up to Christmas to donate to a good cause, the town will be making collections for the food bank in November and December.

Launching to coincide with the Small Business Saturday Bus Tour visiting the town, the first phase of the appeal is for seasonal items, such as advent calendars, small and medium Christmas gift bags and packs of cards, small children’s toiletries and gifts, men’s and women’s toiletries, any Christmas food items, crackers, and selection boxes and any ‘treats’ such as chocolates, jams and sweets that can be gifted and enjoyed at Christmas to make hard times a little more special.

Items for this first phase of the Angel Advent Calendar can be dropped off at Helmsley Outdoors, Libby Butler Jewellers, Snooty Fox and KVA Planning until November 25. The last chance to donate will be at the Walled Garden craft units’ late night shopping event on November 25, to allow time for the festive items to be distributed to those in need before Christmas.

The second phase of the appeal will then start on Small Business Saturday, December 3, and run until December 22, focusing on regularly needed items such as soup, sponge puddings, tins of potatoes or instant mash, UHT juice, tinned meat, toiletries and hot water bottles. These can be dropped off on Small Business Saturday or at a later date at any HiB member.

The business group is behind the campaign and members will also be making their own donations of relevant items.

The Ryedale Food Bank, which opened in July 2013, is currently helping more than 40 families a week. It has helped 2,721 people in total since its launch, 485 since April this year, and 96 in the month of September alone.

Miss Frank said: “Helmsley has permanent collection points via our Churches, but the members of Helmsley in Business wanted to boost this over the Christmas season when there is greater need, especially with the colder winter weather coming.

“It felt like with the launch of the town’s Angel Festival this year, it was a great time to do this. People can donate one item, or ideally collect one a day as a reverse advent calendar suggests – but anything will be much appreciated.”

HiB is also celebrating being named as runner-up in the North Yorkshire Country Council Community Awards’ Best Community Group category.