When I received a call from Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday team one Friday afternoon I wasn’t expecting to have the opportunity to welcome both him and Keir Starmer to my studio.
I was picked by Theo as one of his Small Business Sunday winners for Hampshire School of Jewellery in 2019 and collected my certificate from him at the event he hosts each year in February 2020. I have since won again for my other business, Laura Llewellyn Design which is my own jewellery brand.
When I initially took the call I was asked if I would be willing to have a conversation with our local MP about their plans to support small businesses and I said yes; I then found out that Theo himself also wanted to come down to see me and find out more about the jewellery school.
After meeting with some of the Labour party planners and behind the scenes team they confessed that Keir Starmer was also going to be in our local area and would like to join Theo on his visit. After picking my mouth up off the floor I said yes to the incredible opportunity I was offered to share my business.
The visit happened on Tuesday 18th June 2024. As I had a class in that morning, my first job was explaining what was going to happen to them. I must say a big thank you to them for embracing the madness that morning and supporting me through it.
As our visitors approached the studio I was incredibly nervous but they both put me at ease at straight away asking me about the jewellery school and how I find running my own business. I had prepped a silver bangle so I could get them both involved in a little jewellery making and helped Keir shape it on a bangle mandrel, and Theo popped it into a bangle press to make it wavy.
They spent some time chatting to my Tuesday morning group to find out more about the classes they have attended, and were keen to find out more about what they enjoyed making before watching Sian do a soldering demonstration. They stayed for photos and took the time to meet everyone that was in the lesson that day.
Even with a smaller selection of the press and journalists than they would normally have due to the limited space of the studio, was very overwhelming, but it was an incredible honour to have the chance to share my small business with the world.
My husband and I were invited to the next venue to see how the press side of things usually works and it was fascinating to watch the swarm of journalists and see behind the scenes of the snippets that are shown on tv or social media.
We even made the national TV news (blink and you might miss me though!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua2BWvIKwdw
And appeared in the Telegraph, Times and local press –
If you would like to join us and learn to make your own jewellery we offer a variety of classes from one off workshops suitable for complete beginners to 10 week term time courses.
You can see our upcoming sessions and book a place on the website here.
