A craft market showcasing young talent is coming to Manchester.
The Teenage Market is giving talented young people an opportunity to showcase their work when it comes to the Royal Exchange Theatre this week.
Siblings Nathan, eight, and 10-year-old Maddie will both be hosting stalls at the central Manchester event, having previously traded at the Stockport Teenage Market.
Nathan has a keen interest in baking and nutrition.
He combined the two to create festive treats from scratch, often using organic ingredients and homemade mincemeat for his pies (with parental supervision!).
Selling under the name Nathan’s Beautiful Bakes, he said: “I’ll be making batches of homemade carob and chocolate fudge, mince pies and lots of Christmas snacks.
“I first decided to start selling after we visited a previous Teenage Market and I saw loads of cool things there.
“I’m excited about the stall – it’s a good way for me to learn about managing money too.”
Maddie utilises her sewing skills to create tote bags, bookmarks, Christmas decorations and more on her stall Maddie’s WOW Creations.
Maddie said: “I love sewing and have lots of Christmas fabrics which I’m using to make bags for this stall.
“I’d like to be a seamstress or an author when I’m older.
“We’re also selling copies of the WOW! Journal, which we created as a family in lockdown to help make children happy.
“It’s a journal with sections for people to write down things that made them happy that day, how they’re feeling, what they’ve seen and where they’ve been.”
The market is being hosted by Winning Heart and Minds – a community-led charity working in North Manchester to improve heart and mental health.
Nathan Martin, Winning Hearts and Minds Community Development Fieldworker, said: “We know there are lots of talented young people in North Manchester so this an ideal opportunity to show a wider audience what they can do.
“A few of our young people had stalls at Manchester Christmas Markets last year and one sold out on the first day!
“We’ve also got acoustic performances planned for the event with a piano set accompanied by sign language.”
With traders selling African soaps, decorative wreaths, sensory toys, handmade jewellery, artwork and more, the market offers shoppers the chance to pick up unique last minute Christmas gifts.
Jasmine Bamber (24) has been part of the market since the beginning, trading at every show in Greater Manchester to date including the upcoming one on Thursday.
She said: “I’m autistic and disabled and I love to make things.
“Two years ago I started learning at an art college for neurodivergent people – that’s what helped me to gain confidence and start selling my products.
“I love anything paint related such as paint pouring, and anything to do with dinosaurs and insects.
“Winning Hearts and Minds has given me a platform and I’m looking forward to this market; they always have a good community atmosphere”.
The Teenage Market was created in 2012 when teenage brothers Tom and Joe Barratt decided that there should be a specialist market designed specifically for young people in their hometown of Stockport.
The event is taking place on Thursday 21 December from 11am – 3pm at Royal Exchange Theatre with free entry.
You can find out more details about The Teenage Market here.
