Badger Farm artisan and handmade market in Winchester

A market was held at Badger Farms Community Centre on the 19 October, which had stall owners who made handmade and artisan goods locally. 

Produce at the event ranged from jewellery, sweeties, hampers, wooden sculptures, and much more talented arts from passionate individuals. 

Community connection and spirt were high with many chatting over a coffee and a sweet treat whilst enjoying the spooky Halloween music. 

A wide range of people attended, from families to elderly people coming in from the rain to have a cuppa.

While at the event, I spoke to Claire Godding about small businesses, in which she said, “they’re side hustles, they’re mums that are running a business from their kitchen table, or they’re people starting up a brand-new business.” 

These types of events “bring together not only the small businesses, but they bring together communities as well”. 

In a climate of chain stores and online shopping, Ms Godding clearly identifies why it’s so important to shop locally and through small businesses , as “it’s feeding real people , it’s feeding a family that lives in the local area , it’s paying their bills , it’s giving them the income that they need to continue to thrive in this area”. 

Gifts That Matter at the market explained that “there is no way I could have done this full time, one day I would love to do it full time” , but Georgia spoke about the importance of these events, “it’s nice to see everyone working hard and all the layouts”. 

Funky Cat Design’s business owner, Joe, turned to making a small business after “being in the corporate world for 30 years, and I became fed up with it”. 

During the market, it was a chance for Joe to “gauge interest and I have seen quite a bit of interest in workshops, which she hopes will become a main form of income. 

This event, while being small, meant a lot for locals and these small businesses to make connections and a profit from the event.

In-person selling is vital for these individuals to engage with customers and to help reduce the loneliness that being your own manager contains.