Bolton College students have been putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test, in celebration of the first national Love your Local Market campaign.
Students from Bolton College have become market traders as part of the campaign, which aims to build support for local markets across the UK.
The two-week event kicked off on Saturday 23 June, when students from Bolton College’s hair and beauty department pitched up stalls at the pop-up market, organised by Bolton Council, located along Deansgate, in the town centre. Local shoppers were offered a range of treatments, including manicures, massages, reflexology and eyebrow threading.
Bolton College student, Helen Wordsworth, 21, said: “The market was such a change from our usual environment in the salon. It was a really great opportunity to show the public exactly what we do at the college and invite them to try our treatments for themselves. The chance to make a little extra money was also a bonus!”
Skills for Independent Living students will also be getting involved on Wednesday 27 June, selling various items created during their courses at the Deane Road campus, including pots and planters, cards and small art creations.
Director of business and enterprise at Bolton College, Mike Morris, said: “The event is a great way for students to interact with the public and learn so many transferable skills first-hand. It’s extremely important that our students have the opportunity to demonstrate and develop an entrepreneurial business sense outside of the normal college environment.”
Love your Local Market is a new campaign dedicated to building support for local markets across the UK and providing an affordable opportunity for new traders to showcase their products and test out the market.
Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, Councillor Akhtar Zaman, said: “It’s fantastic that young entrepreneurs from the college got involved in the event and I hope their day of trading proved successful. The pop-up market is a great way for them to get experience in a retail environment and it’s running until the end of this week. There will also be new traders at Farnworth market this weekend and the following weekend at Westhoughton. I’d urge everyone to come along to the events and continue to support the traders.”
Celebrity chef, Simon Rimmer, officially launched the Love your Local Market fortnight and participated in cookery demonstrations in the town centre and at Bolton Market.
Apprentice semi-finalist and market trader, Adam Corbally, was also present on the day, hosting talks for the aspiring traders, young people and entrepreneurs.
For more information on Bolton College, visit www.boltoncollege.ac.uk. Further details on Love your Local Market can also be found here: www.bolton.gov.uk/website/Pages/LoveYourLocalMarket.
