Several Transition Bath core group members live in the Bear Flat area of Bath, and have been running a monthly community market in a church hall for the past three years. The idea behind the market is to promote local food, to provide an outlet for people making delicious edibles at home and to act as a hub for local residents to meet up. In other words, the market ties in with Transition practice – act locally, use local resources and grow with the support of the community.
Regular food stalls include:
- A range of sour-dough loaves by Bear Bread, baked the night before
- Julie’s Jars, unusual preserves
- Orchardshare apple juice (from Bath community orchards)
- Vegetables from Gerard Rich’s market garden in Batheaston
- Divya’s pickles and chutneys
From time to time, we have other local makers, e.g. chilli sauces, hand-made chocolates, etc.
We run a café selling home-made cakes and there are craft activities for children, and sometimes for adults too. Each month we have a different ‘swaps table’, e.g., books, plants, craft materials, CDs, where people can donate to Julian House instead of swapping. Local crafters and members of Bear Flat Artists also take stalls, which only cost £5 for a small table, £10 for a trestle table.
The market is always on the third Saturday of the month, the next one being on Saturday 17th September, from 9.30 – 12.30, at the Methodist Church Hall, Bruton Avenue. The swaps this month is ‘haberdashery and wools’.