the heartland market
As you all know, I’m a passionate ambassador of small businesses. Pre-covid I organised and ran The Colourful Edits’ Christmas Markets which showcased female founders under one roof. Most of you came and had a lovely couple of hours (peace and quiet from actual life), caught up with friends and shopped locally for your festive gifts. The Scottish Borders has so much talent. And most people I speak with, really want their towns to thrive.
You may also know that I was born and bred in Galashiels and have lovely childhood memories of growing up here. The town felt safe, there was a community, great shops and you wouldn’t walk past someone without stopping for a chat (or was that just my mum!). After a stint in Edinburgh, and all my twenties overseas in New Zealand & Australia, the call of ‘home’ brought me back. What was I thinking you may ask, but actually, the Scottish Borders is beautiful place to be. Like most though, I want my home town to be somewhere I’m proud of, to invite people, to have a talking point, especially now that I have my own family and dream of the same memories for them, as I had growing up.
Lately, with covid thrown into the mix, that sense of community has really diminished. We need to increase footfall in our home town and rally together for our lovely independent shop owners with great products, working everyday to support their families.
There isn’t really a gathering as such to bring everyone together. To put the beating heart back into the town centre (other than the town festivals that happen once a year). Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sense of homeliness.
It was time to get together with some like minded ladies, and make it happen…
We hatched a plan, each took on roles and have actually made it happen with support from Energise Galashiels Trust.
We - myself & Katie, Emily McGowan, Esther McLuckie and Jude Cormack have been working behind the scenes, planning our first Market. We have been working into the evenings and zooming through the last few weeks getting everything ready for March’s launch. Yes, March.
Introducing… The Heartland Market.
flyers for the event
The Heartland Market is to be a monthly creative space for our local traders to showcase their talents and products, to inspire and entice the community within the heart of Galashiels. Our hope is that It will bring people in from other areas, boost other Borders locations and make us feel proud to have a community event in the town centre, in turn this will create footfall for our shop owners and other small businesses.
We are looking for wonderful homegrown talent, people who have a craft, a skill, a product they can showcase. We also are hoping to involve the students from the University, to build a bridge for them to feel like they are connected. If you are a maker, shaker, baker or caker, you may apply through our form on the website. We will consider all applicants and hope to rotate and showcase an array of brands every month.
image of the planned layout
website is live and ready
I guess I’m telling you all this in the hope that you might get the train down from Edinburgh with a group of friends, pop over from Jedburgh/Peebles for a bit of retail therapy, or even fly up from London (hi Katie!) to taste some gorgeous Borders products. Who knows!
All I know is that we are putting in the work, to hopefully create some lasting legacy for our town to thrive. We will be running once a month from March to December. That’s the present commitment. It needs to work. We’ll try our best. We jut need the support and encouragement of like minded people. I’d love for you to come to the party!
Lauren xoxo
www.theheartlandmarket.uk
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