O2 sets out to crown the UK’s small business hero, but who will get your vote?

Deal Delivers was born out of lockdown, as Calypso recognised the damage local high street stores would suffer as a result of being closed indefinitely. She immediately got to work and created an online marketplace for Deal businesses that could deliver to customers. The service is now a community of over 700 small businesses, and is a lifeline to those that might not have been able to reach their customers before, with some businesses going from six to eight deliveries per day to over 100.

Love Your Doorstep is an online community of over 23,000 local members, including volunteers, charities and businesses that has been steadily growing since 2011, when Emma set up the network as a result of the aftermath of the London Riots. Emma has frequently used her contacts and relationships with local businesses to deliver over 60,000 meals, recruit over 600 volunteers and transport medication across the region to ensure everyone in Enfield has access to the support they need. The community also helps people find jobs locally, with a dedicated jobs board.

Not only is Jackalope Joe Coffee sustainably packaged and ethically sourced, it is also roasted by an important community figure in the rural Spalding community. During the pandemic, Hannah was involved in putting together food packages for those individuals shielding, and donated her coffee to those packages as a little pick me up. She regularly attends artisan fairs and events, and is always a friendly face and a great person for Spalding’s locals to speak to.

Yasin has always been passionate about mentoring people, spending his time guiding deprived or unemployed young adults through some of their toughest times. His record studio helps support young musicians and creatives, providing 14 internships to people who had lost their jobs due to COVID. He has previously won the Prince’s Trust mentor of the year award, and has had to overcome his own personal barriers to get to where he is today, using his own experiences to help support and mentor musicians across the Midlands. Yasin has now extended the mentoring services his HQ Familia record label and studio can provide, as he continues to build a real network and community of creatives in the region.

Becci founded Boo Coaching because she wanted organisations to build healthy leadership cultures all employees could thrive in. She aims to create through Boo Coaching an encouraging environment where women are given opportunities to shine, and her leadership style is known to create positive ripples in her local community and beyond. She spent the last year working closely with local healthcare trusts, going above and beyond to ensure healthcare professionals have dedicated and tailored wellbeing support. This included creating a dedicated booking system for 1:1 appointments, and even writing inspirational poems to share amongst the community. She is known for her incredible efforts in helping nurses and healthcare professionals navigate their mental wellbeing during the COVID pandemic.