Norfolk’s travelling fayre has parked up for lockdown to launch a local online shop that will raise funds to establish a permanent street food and art park.
Non-profit organisation, ClearCompany, is urging shoppers to buy local following a catastrophic year in trading due to Covid-19 disruption and has invested more than £9,000 in an online shop to showcase produce from local artists, craftspeople, bakers, food producers, services and training providers.
Street food & retail park
The new digital platform – ClearCompany Shop – comes as the company cancelled the remaining dates for its touring fayre – an initiative that was launched in March during lockdown to support and promote local traders. Participating traders will contribute ten per cent of online sales to the collective fundraising pot to finance a permanent street food and art park in Greater Norwich.
Steve Wiseman, Director and Head of Fundraising for ClearCompany, said: “Our travelling fayre raised nearly £8,000 through Spring and Summer, and introduced traders to a regional audience. While most of this had to cover our event costs, we are delighted to have secured some Power to Change and National Lottery funding to help subsidise the creation of our online shop built especially for Norfolk traders”.
“As we all emerge from lockdown and carefully plan how to spend the festive period with family, we believe now is not the time to attract what could potentially be large numbers of people into the heart of communities. Instead, we have decided to create opportunities for people to buy local online with every penny spent benefiting local business and enterprise. It’s an ideal way to buy unique Christmas gifts and support local businesses.”
Travelling fayre will hit the road again
ClearCompany is planning to resume its travelling fayre, as soon as is responsibly possible, as part of a fundraising strategy to develop a permanent site for Norfolk traders to showcase their produce and services and for musicians and entertainers to perform. The organisation is seeking a site in or around Norwich that would accommodate street food stalls, artists workshops, and an entertainment area.
To date the travelling fayre has visited sites in Norwich, Hethersett, Aylsham, Diss, Poringland and Wymondham. Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the range of activities and entertainment had to be reduced. Sadly, children’s games and attractions needed to be removed almost entirely.
Sean Peregrine, owner of The Potato Pod along with his partner Hannah Smith, said: “This summer has hit everyone badly but there has been a lot of creative thinking with traders taking stock, adapting, re-inventing and rising to the challenge to carry on. The travelling fayre is a way for us to work together and reach communities safely. Covid-19 protocols were in place, we met regularly to review how things were going, and we grew at a safe pace in consultation with the community. While it is such as shame we had to cancel, we can’t wait to return!”
Crafts, plants, candles, cakes, sweets, clothes, pet foods and accessories, ceramics and jewellery are just some of the items that have been on sale at the fayres. Michelle Etherden, of Heavenly & Earth Candles, said: “We’ve had such fun trading together at the fayres and reaching so many warm, welcoming communities throughout the region. It has been a delight and we are all so grateful to each person who came along to visit us. They made all the difference to what has been the toughest year.”
Register to sell your product.
It is simple to register to become a seller, simply fill in the registration form, read through our terms and conditions and submit your application. Once applications are approved, access will be granted access to the site enabling products to be uploaded. ClearCompany has a contact us section where any queries about the shop can be directed.
