Barlaston Village Market are hosting their annual Christmas market from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 29th November in Barlaston Village Hall but this year’s event is extra special because it marks the market’s tenth birthday.
Amongst other things the event will feature a free raffle with the prize of a bottle of champagne and will see Santa handing out free gifts to visiting children. There will be approximately 30 indoor and outdoor stalls and a tearoom.
The venue the market hires for the event have said, “we’ll be ending November in style with our Christmas Village Market on Saturday 29th, 10am–2pm. Don’t miss this one – it’s always a highlight!”
The market supports local makers and creators, provides networking opportunities for small businesses in the area and is a regular opportunity for friends of the market to socialise. The regular markets also bring in more customers to the static businesses in the village further contributing to the community. Furthermore the market is a fundraising market, organised voluntarily so that all profits can be donated to charities and local good causes.
The first ‘one off’ Christmas fundraising market was held on the 22nd November 2015 to raise funds for Macmillan and Make-a-Wish and £135 was donated to each of the charities following the event. This market was so well received that the organiser decided to start a regular market in the village. Different formats have been trialled over the years but the market has settled on the current format of bi-monthly markets starting in March.
The market has also evolved to include other events to benefit the community and boost their fundraising. On the 12th October 2022 they hosted their first community coffee morning with mini market, a monthly event called Warm Welcome Wednesday, which provides free refreshments to visitirs, they host regular online charity auctions and this year co-ordinated venues around the village hosting artists in the first Barlaston Art Trail.
The market is pleased with their fundraising success. As an example, in 2024 the market themselves donated £1242 from market profits and raised and donated £194 from online auctions. Alongside their own fundraising the market supports fundraisers by offering free stalls and tearoom takeovers and in 2024 it is estimated that these fundraisers raised £3456.98 between them. This gives a fundraising total for the year just shy of five thousand pounds.
The market is very much looking forward to lots of people joining them on Saturday 29th November to celebrate their 10th birthday with them. Entry to the event is free and a warm welcome awaits. Lots more information about the market, their fundraising and their stallholders can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BarlastonVillageMarket
