Page 4 - Market Times October 2024

4 NMTF’S YOUNG TRADER OF THE YEAR 2024
Alice maps a route to become the
NMTF’s Young Trader of the Year 2024
Scores of young entrepreneurs take part in the Stratford-upon-Avon final
Alice Smith said she was “over the moon” to be named the NMTF Young Trader of the Year 2024
NATIONAL FINAL
NOT even the might of Storm Lilian could put a dampener on the NMTF’s Young Traders Market National Final which saw scores of talented young people vying for the title of the UK’s top young market trader of 2024 over the two-day event at Stratford- upon-Avon.
The 12th annual final, held over the August bank holiday weekend, was another thronged event with around 90 young traders who had impressed the judges in 10 regional finals across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In the end the accolade of Young Trader of the Year 2024 went to map maker and illustrator Alice Smith, 30, who began drawing every home in the Leicestershire village during lockdown and now has a flourishing business selling her unique and original artwork.
Joe Harrison, the NMTF’s CEO, said the event for 16 to 30-year-olds aimed to nurture and showcase young talent and encourage more young entrepreneurs to start their journeys on markets.
“Once again the initiative has been a phenomenal success, with enterprising young people taking part in heats on markets up and down the country, followed by regional finals across England, Wales and Northern Ireland,” he said.
The final took place for the seventh successive year on the Waterside in Stratford-upon-Avon, against the backdrop of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the River Avon.
As Storm Lilian took its toll on markets and events elsewhere, LSD Promotions, the Stourbridge-based markets and events operator that helps stage the final, pulled out all the stops to ensure it went ahead.
Over two days of busy trading, the young entrepreneurs sold their products in one of four categories: Food and Drink; Arts and Crafts; General Retail; and Grocery. In addition, there were four Young Traders of the Future, all under the age of 16 but already making waves selling their original products on markets.
Products sold covered everything from dog
treats to artwork, bakery goods, delicious street food and drink, not to mention Jessica Tucker’s hand-sculpted candles of dogs and bottoms. Jessica’s claim to fame is that she was a mould- maker for a TV and film company and helped to sculpt the hands and feet of the Star Wars character Chewbacca.
Announcing the winners, Joe said the standard and quality was so high that all the young traders should consider themselves winners, and he thanked the chairman of Stratford-on-Avon District Council Coun Jenny Fradgley and the Town Mayor Coun Jason Fojtik.
Coun Fradgley said she hoped that people beyond the town of Stratford had been inspired by the quality and entrepreneurship of so many young people.
And Coun Fojtik said: “This has to be the best market I have ever been to in my life. The quality of the traders and the efforts and the work that has gone into it is amazing. You are the future of market trading.”
The winner of the Food and Drink category was Sophie Thornton who runs Fizz Origin selling cocktails and sparkling wine.
Fred Harman of The Selfish Spirits Company and Wen Fong of Cloud Nine Candy Floss were highly commended.
The Arts and Crafts category was won by Alice Smith, with Lai Ting Kwan of So Blossom Accessories and Sam Gill of Behaviour Change Cornwall highly commended.
Pictured with Alice Smith, the NMTF’s Young Trader of the Year 2024, are (left to right) Coun Jenny Fradgley, chairman of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and her husband, Ian; Coun Jason Fojtik, Town Mayor; NMTF President John Dyson and NMTF President- Elect Mike Riley