A businesswomen from Essex was among a group of entrepreneurs who represented the UK’s vibrant and varied small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector at the launch of this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign.

Becky Sebright-King from Manningtree, owner of Lady Bakewell Park, which produces cakes, personalised biscuits and brownies at a unit at The Cookhouse at the Suffolk Food Hall in Wherstead, near Ipswich, joined other invited businesses in showcasing their activities.

American Express originally founded the Small Business Saturday initiative in the United States in 2010 to encourage people to use small businesses and also supports the campaign in the UK, alongside PRS For Music, TalkTalk Business, Vistaprint, Clear Channel and the Post Office.

This is the fourth year of the Small Business Saturday campaign in the UK, which last year saw £623m spent with small firms across the UK on Small Business Saturday, an increase of 24% on the previous year.

The campaign in the UK is also backed by organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Enterprise Nation.

Small Business Saturday UK director Michelle Ovens MBE said: “The British public has a great affection for small businesses and we continue to see that grow year on year.

“The small businesses themselves really make the campaign as they effectively deliver it on the ground and collectively show the depth and breadth that exists within the sector.

“This year we aim to reach more people, get more engagement, and encourage more people to support small businesses. We will be talking a lot about community because whether they are selling to consumers online or in a particular location or b2b businesses working together and doing business together, our small businesses are a community that benefits both our local and national economies.”