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About Levenshulme Market Levenshulme Market is a community interest company which caters for the whole community in Levenshulme by retailing a range of goods at a range of price points. In doing so it aims to: • Encourage access to Levenshulme's hidden gems - be that people, existing businesses, buildings or organisations • Bring enterprise onto the high street - fostering links and skill sharing between existing bricks and mortar retailers and creative, enterprising residents • Sell Levenshulme to residents and visitors alike. The market will provide a positive and enjoyable atmosphere for traders and customers alike and seek to promote the hidden gems and natural talent of the local community. We will provide training opportunities for local people, giving them the opportunity to learn valuable skills such as communications skills by working with traders on the market. These opportunities will improve the self-esteem of those on the market and help raise the profile and community pride of local people. This will take the form of several initiatives, some requiring funding from the market profits: • “Buddying” for new traders – existing long-term traders will be “partnered” with new traders and will guide them on market retailing best practice as well as giving guidance on running a small independent business and connecting them with groups in the community who may be able to offer additional help, support and advice • Guidance for new or potential traders on accessing start-up funds, how to source public liability insurance – we will host a library of information relevant to new traders (including information about New Enterprise Allowance) or those in the community thinking about starting to trade via our website and will also use our individual expertise in these areas as a group to guide new traders • Training on market selling – we will fund market trading training courses similar to those funded by South Manchester Regeneration which have proved to have a 6-month-on trader retention rate of 75% • Help for traders who want to expand to bricks and mortar retail – guidance on writing business plans, applying for finance and other start up operations for new permanent retail businesses will be given • Other ad hoc support – other support, funded and non-funded will be consider when applied for on a case-by-case basis and voted on by the directors. About the Directors Levenshulme Market has four directors, all of whom are residents of Levenshulme, and who have a range of relevant experience: Neil Buttery Neil has been trading since August of this year selling traditional British food. Prior to this he was the head of a secondary SEN school and a research scientist. Neil says Levenshulme Market - both the traders and the community - has been key to the success of his business and he is now thinking about permanent premises in the area. Mel Pettyfer Mel has lived in Levenshulme for over 20 years and taught at Levenshulme High School for 16 of those years. Her children have grown up here and she has been involved in countless local projects during this time. As a result she has links with numerous sections of the community. Mel has traded at the last two markets and is excited that the inception of a community run market is a fantastic opportunity to further harness the amazing spirit and energy of our diverse and vibrant community. Helen Power Helen has been a resident of Levenshulme for 10 years and is owner of the award-winning LoveLevenshulme blog. She is a corporate communications expert and events manager at Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester with extensive experience in marketing, communications and project management. Brenda Smith Brenda has lived in the area for 15 years and has 18+ years retail experience including management roles. As a member of a workers' co-operative for 8.5 years, where her remit was marketing and buying, she has a wealth of experience of democratically run organisations. She now co-owns a garden centre in neighbouring Burnage and has been a regular trader on Levenshulme Market since its inception. How you can get involved: Become a volunteer We have a great (and growing!) group of volunteers who are lending their skills to make the market work even better. Volunteers meet monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at POD on Albert Road at 7.00pm to discuss any tasks for the upcoming market – we also circulate the tasks we need help with in advance via email – if you’d like to join the list or attend one of the meetings, or if you’d like more information please email info@levymarket.co.uk. Join our mailing list We produce a regular newsletter for visitors to the market, with features on our traders and news of what will be happening at upcoming markets – please email us at info@levymarket.co.uk if you would like to receive it. Follow us on social media We’re on Twitter and Facebook! Become a fan and follow us for all the most up to date information on who is trading and what’s going on at the Market. Want to trade? Visit the traders information page at www.levymarket.co.uk