Old Curiosity Book Shop FSB Award

The Old Curiosity Bookshop Wins Major Regional Award

April 12, 2022/Rachel Hargrave

The Old Curiosity Bookshop, Hathern scooped up a major East Midlands award this week at the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards winning the Self-Employed/Sole Trader of the Year category.

Speaking of the achievement, owner of the Old Curiosity Bookshop, Tina Walford, said, “I’ve never attended such a prestigious event ever! The room was full of fabulous businesses and as I heard their stories and applauded the winners of other categories I was feeling like a very, very small business indeed. Fortunately I had a lot of support at the table I was on and they kept my spirits up helping me to believe that I did stand a chance in my category. To be a finalist in such a prestigious set of awards was flabbergasting but to actually hear my name announced as the winner of the very last category announced was unbelievable!

“I now go to the national finals in Glasgow to represent the East Midlands in the Self-Employed/sole Trader of the Year category. I’m very, very excited and very, very nervous all at the same time. I’m still pinching myself when I think about this win. I posted about it on social media and the response from customers, friends and fellow business owners has been overwhelming to say the least. At the actual awards event other finalists and winners came up to me afterwards and congratulated me saying that they loved hearing my story and that of the Old Curiosity Bookshop. They were all so very kind. I also was invited to record an interview with the FSB which will be shared soon across their website and social media feeds. It was all very exciting and a little overwhelming but so unbelievably worthwhile! I am absolutely thrilled and want to say a huge thank you to all our customers and congratulations to the other finalists and winners.”

Organisers of the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards commented on the number and high calibre of entrants for this year’s awards and wished Tina well for the national finals in May. Regional Chairman, Les Phillimore, said, “I’d like to add my congratulations to those Tina has already received. Her story and success go to prove that retail is alive and kicking in the East Midlands. The number and calibre of entrants this year was exceptional and I am delighted to see East Midlands businesses competing, thriving and growing despite the massive uncertainty we’ve all been experiencing and continue to experience. I wish Tina and all our East Midlands winners all the very best of luck for the national finals in Glasgow. Go and fly the flag for the East Midlands with pride!”

The national final of the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards takes place in Glasgow on May 19th.

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Rachel Hargrave

Rachel has over 30 years of local, regional, national and international communications experience and expertise across a wide variety of clients including FTSE 100 companies, SMEs, micro businesses and start-ups. She also has extensive charity, Not-For-Profit and Community Interest Company experience and happily offers clients working in these areas a 50% discount on all RDZ PR rates.

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