Hull City Council will play a significant part in #MicroBizMatters Day on Friday 11 January to celebrate the contribution made by micro businesses to the UK economy.

The event, which takes place at The Guildhall in Alfred Gelder Street, Hull, from 9am to 3pm, encourages micro businesses across the UK to give 11 minutes to support other such businesses.

Supported by the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank and KCOM, #MicroBizMatters Day 2019 is the only annual day of recognition, action and learning for owners of businesses employing zero to nine people or turning over up to £2million annually.

Organisers will host online sessions such as those relating to family businesses, freelance heroes, a section for female micro-business owners and more.

Those involved include Hannah and Sue from Inspire Ignite, Leah from Amethyst Cleaning, Ben Robinson from Prehistoric Hull, Sophie Green of Seams Impossible, Phil Ascough from Ascough PR, Ross Bennett from Engaging Education, T Arran Photography, Janet Adamson and 15-year-old Millie Notarantonio of Millie Rose as well as Youth Enterprise Network Champions Charles Cracknell and Mike Notarantonio.

Workshops delivered by the Forum of Private Business, Federation of Small Businesses and International Association of Bookkeepers will cover topics such as late payments, digital taxation, why indie bookkeepers are the best friends of micro business-owners, and restoring the high street.

Councillor Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said: “I am pleased that the fifth #MicroBizMatters Day is to be held in Hull and it is fantastic that young entrepreneurs in Hull from the Making Changes for Careers Programme (MC4C) are supporting Micro Biz Day 2019 by playing an active part in the day in showcasing their businesses alongside established micro businesses in the city.

“Hull’s involvement in this annual day of recognition, action and learning further illustrates our commitment to micro businesses in general, and youth entrepreneurship in particular. We are also delighted to be able to welcome the small business commissioner Paul Uppal to #MicroBizMatters Day.”

Tina Boden (pictured), founder of Enterprise Rockers and #MicroBizMatters, said: “We are delighted that Hull, through its work in supporting micro businesses and young entrepreneurs in particular, will be hosting us as part of #MicroBizMatters Day.

“Hundreds of thousands of micro business owners – and we really hope it will be one million – will be giving 11 minutes or more of their time to help other micro business-owners somewhere in the world. The three main areas of focus for #IGave11 minutes of action to help other micro enterprise owners are customers, cash flow and confidence.”

Ross Bennett, chair of Hull and East Riding Youth Enterprise Partnership, said: “Young people who set up in a business are just like any other person that does so, apart from one key fact that there is a tendency for organisations and large businesses not to take them seriously yet, but they, like all micro businesses, are playing a vital role in ensuring that our economy turns the corner.

“Britain’s micro businesses in general, and younger entrepreneurs in particular, are almost twice as optimistic about the future growth of their business compared to older peers.

“It’s not always about high growth and expansion for young people, it’s about enjoying what they are doing and many are wanting to put back into their community, not because it’s the trendy thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do and for that reason I am pleased that so many young people are making a contribution to #MicroBizMattersDay 2019.”