Read all about it! Book business is named one of UK's top small firms

The Gently Used Book Club, an online business based in Penn Fields, was chosen as one of the 100 most impressive small firms by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign.

Pat Austin founded The Gently Used Book Club in 2021, aiming to save books from landfill and get them into the hands of readers.

Subscribers get hand-picked second-hand books delivered to their door every month.

Following a nationwide search, the Wolverhampton firm was selected as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be selected,” said Pat. “The Gently Used Book Club was started during lockdown when I realised I wasn’t the only person struggling to find the ‘right book’.

"Now we’ve sent out thousands of books to hundreds of subscribers. The Gently Used Book Club was founded with sustainability in mind, so everything we use, from the packaging to the books themselves, is recycled.

"That way our customers know that we’re treading as lightly on the planet as we can. It makes me very proud to see my hard work recognised in this way and I’m so grateful to the team at Small Business Saturday for choosing my business to be part of their campaign.”

The Gently Used Book Club will be profiled by the campaign on December 6 as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK.

“It’s great to celebrate The Gently Used Book Club as part of this year’s campaign,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business

Saturday UK. “This year’s SmallBiz100 list shows the huge contribution small businesses make to their communities and the wider UK economy.

"Despite the economy turning a corner, the nation’s small businesses continue to feel the fallout of a challenging few years and still need significant support to get back on their feet. Small Business Saturday is all about getting the nation to come out in force and show its love for our local businesses.”

Running in the UK for over a decade, Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, which takes place each year on the first weekend in December, celebrating small businesses and encouraging consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities.