Golden celebrations for Country Market

Aylsham Country Market will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at the Town Hall this week – and is inviting regulars and new customers to help mark the special occasion.

The Country Market, which sells a wide range of homemade food and crafts, started at the Town Hall in 1975 and runs every Friday morning from 8.30am to noon.

And on Friday, August 15, they will be holding a special celebration to mark their golden anniversary. Market Manager Debra Kidd said: “Why not celebrate with us and call in for a glass of bubbles and a piece of cake. We will hold a raffle for some of our delicious goodies and goods and all the proceeds will go to the Aylsham Care Trust (ACT).”

The market is a cooperative social enterprise, registered with Coops UK, and part of a network of around 150 branded Country Markets nationwide. Nine of these are in Norfolk and Aylsham is the biggest in the county. Debra said: “Our strength and what we pride ourselves on is selling locally produced, seasonal goods. “We have around 25 regular producers and helpers who are members of our co-operative. They come from all different walks of life on a Friday morning. It’s absolutely brilliant because you get to know people really well. It just works.
“We’re not there to become millionaires. We just love the fact it’s something people enjoy. Plus, we have a great cafe and that’s really popular.”

As well as offering shoppers the chance to buy local produce, Debra says the Country Market is a great venue for people to catch up with friends. Free children’s craft activities are also held during the summer holidays.

Debra added: “Not all of our members are producers. We have voluntary helpers and they come in because they want to and they love it.
“If you want something to do on a Friday morning and want to meet new people, you don’t have to be producer.”

Members do not have their own table at the market, because they are a cooperative. Instead, everyone works together to set up, sell the goods and clear away at the end of the morning.

The market is run by a committee and the 10pc commission producers pay on their sales goes towards renting the Town Hall and the market’s overheads. It costs just 5p to join the cooperative and this provides producers with full insurance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Aylsham Country Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The market allows customers to pay for goods with cash or cards.

To find out more about selling and volunteering at the market you can speak to Debra every Friday morning or call 07765 934850 to ask questions and place orders. You can also look up Aylsham Country Market on Facebook and Instagram.

BIRTH OF COUNTRY MARKETS
Country Markets were started by the WI in 1919, just after the First World War, to help people get back on their feet. If people had leftover produce, they could sell it and make some money. The movement grew across the country and was run by the WI until the Country Markets separated from them about 20 years ago.