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A popular Sunday village market which proved a lifeline for small businesses in lockdown continues to go from strength to strength.
The volunteer-led New Ash Green Craft Fairs and Markets has just under 300 vendors on its database for a mix of indoor and outdoor events held throughout the year.
Each market offers a unique mix of stall holders catering to everything from homemade candles and crochet to jewellery and baked goods.
Indoor events are held within the village hall, while outdoor fairs take place in fields off The White Swan pub in Ash Road.
Organisers Liz Boniface and Claire Perkins helped set up the markets as a community project more than four years ago with the ethos of helping small businesses and encouraging people to shop local.
They have since been joined by volunteers Katie Davies-Stanford and Diane Furlong who, alongside their partners, help to ensure the events run smoothly.
Since the pandemic they have become a lifeline to both sellers and customers who continue to flock in huge numbers to stock up on locally-sourced products and crafts from across the county.
Volunteer Liz said: "It does take a lot of hard work. Through lockdown we had just under 300 vendors and we can afford to pick and choose.
But the 73-year-old retiree added: "We don't pick the same people selling the same thing.
"We want to encourage people to sell the different things they make."
The former administrator was keen to do something to help the local community and started the not-for-profit project with colleagues initially as a tabletop operation.
"I guess I'm not good at being bored and doing nothing but it is going well," she explained.
The set-up swiftly evolved to an oversubscribed market dedicated exclusively to homegrown products and crafts.
"We want to encourage people to sell the different things they make."
Its location on a plot of land behind a local pub was also aimed at helping a local business that had struggled under the weight of lockdown restrictions.
Liz said: “For us using the White Swan, they are not going to make up what they lost in lockdown but we hope it helps them. They are very grateful.
"If it helps the local community that is what we want to do."
Each event has been met with glowing feedback so far with regular vendors travelling as far afield as Sandwich to sell their products.
"We run four outside events a year," adds Liz. "I think if it is run too regularly people will get fed up with it."
She hopes in the future they can host an even wider range of events with plans in the offing for an outdoor theatre.
The next craft fair will take place indoors at New Ash Green Village Hall on Sunday, September 19. For more information click here.
