ILKLEY business William and Tilda has attended a Downing Street reception in celebration of Small Business Saturday.

Now in its fifth year, Small Business Saturday is a nationwide campaign to support, inspire and promote the UK’s 5.7 million small businesses. Each year the campaign selects its top 100 small businesses to champion and support in the lead up to the day itself.

William and Tilda was selected as one of these 100 businesses this year and attended Downing Street on Thursday, November 30 to celebrate. Founder and owner Becky Davies-Downes said: "We were thrilled to be invited to Downing Street. To then be asked to exhibit a selection of our work there on the day was a massive honour."

William and Tilda specialise in vintage bridal and occasion wear inspired by the distinctive style of the 40s and 50s. Becky said: "We knew straight away the perfect item to take with us to Downing Street was the air raid shelter suit, known as siren suits, made famous by Winston Churchill. They’re such a firm favourite with our clients, we couldn’t not take our version." These all in one suits were designed to keep people warm in air raid shelters

during WW11, and with the current fashion for bridal jumpsuits, William and Tilda have made them the bridal outfit of choice for the vintage loving bride.

Small Business Saturday receives widespread support from local authorities across the country, from business and from government. At the Downing Street reception, small business owners were welcomed by Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State at the Department for International Trade, Claire Perry MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Caroline Nokes MP, Minister for Government Resilience and Efficiency.

Michelle Ovens MBE, Director, Small Business Saturday, said: “Small Business Saturday shines a spotlight on our local businesses to show how vitally important they are to individual communities and the UK as a whole. We are encouraging everyone to support the small businesses near them by shopping locally, and also giving them their backing into 2018 and beyond.”

Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: “It’s great to welcome so many business owners to Number 10 to show our appreciation

for the crucial contribution they make to Britain. Small businesses are vital to a thriving and competitive economy that is fit for the future, so it’s great to see that the number of small businesses in the UK has been growing in recent years. We hope the country will join us in championing the UK’s small businesses.”

To contact William and Tilda for an appointment, e-mail hello@williamandtilda.co.