Community market traders call for more volunteers

Dorothy Doel, Jean Chambers and Christa Jostock all help to run the market in Great Shelford

Volunteers at a community market said they were in desperate need of bakers and vegetable growers if they were to carry on going.

Great Shelford is one of 15 regular markets in south Cambridgeshire and is run as a cooperative, where traders share a portion of their income.

The council has asked for people's views on how local markets contribute to the economy and what could encourage residents to use them more.

Dorothy Doel, Great Shelford's market manager and baker, said: "We don't have enough bakers, and yesterday I just thought, 'I can't do all these scones'."

The weekly market has tea, coffee, baked food as well as gifts like soaps and clothes

Mrs Doel said she baked about 70 scones a week – "six dozen or so, somehow or other" – alongside other treats like cakes and shortbread.

"When your stuff sells very quickly… that is your reward at the end of the day."

She said they needed more bakers to keep up with demand, as well as fruit and vegetable growers, but explained it was difficult to find people because they did not make much of a profit.

"It's a hobby for which I recover my costs, but we're not going to make a fortune out of it," said Mrs Doel.

Even so, she said keeping costs down was difficult.

"When I went shopping last week, I couldn't believe the increase in the price of flour, but at the same time we don't want to lose customers."

Christa Jostock, the market chair who bakes and sells homemade soaps, said most of their customers were young mothers or older people coming for a hot drink and a chat.

"There's a lot of sheltered accommodation and apartments around here," she said.

"Many of the people who live there would not necessarily have transport to go into Cambridge or to go into other shops."

Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) have been asking residents for their views on what brings people to markets.

Its survey, which closes on Sunday, wants to know why people visit markets – and why others might choose to shop elsewhere.

Peter McDonald, SCDC's cabinet member for economic development, said market traders could sometimes be overlooked as an important part of the economy.

"Many go on to achieve real success after starting small," he said.

The National Association of British Markets (NABMA) began a national campaign last year to attract and retain traders, over concerns that not enough young people were joining the trade.

It highlighted research suggesting that only 8% of market traders were under the age of 40.

Liz Hunter said she had made too many pieces of jewellery to keep for herself

Great Shelford Country Market operates as a cooperative, with traders asked to donate 10% of their takings to go towards upkeep instead of paying for their table.

Liz Hunter, a jewellery seller, said she was attracted to the market by this concept.

"What I appreciate about the market is the fact that it is a cooperative and everybody makes what they sell, so there are no imported goods."

Ms Hunter said her jewellery was her passion rather than a business, travelling as far as the Czech Republic to find unique beads.

"I've made so many pieces of jewellery, I couldn't keep them all myself," she said.

Cambridge City Council and SCDC said people's feedback would be used in a report to make recommendations about long-term support for the markets.