HELSTON FARMERS' MARKET

First Saturday monthly

9.30 to 1.30

Helston Community College, Church Hill, Helston, TR13.

Referred to as Henliston in the Domesday Book, and being granted a charter by King John in 1201, Helston has always been an important Cornish town. Standing on the east bank of the River Cober, the town became a coinage town during the reign of Edward I with hundreds of tin and copper mines being worked in the area.

Famous for Flora Day which is held on May 8th every year, Helston plays host to thousands of people who come to celebrate this ancient festival thought to have its roots in pagan times. A May Day celebration to mark the coming of spring and the end of winter, Flora Day is thought to be the oldest event of its kind in Cornwall.

Helston also now has one of the biggest farmers’ markets in Cornwall regularly attracting more than 1500 people. Held on the first Saturday of each month, the market was started by South Kerrier Alliance Community Interest Company as a way of getting local food to local people.

Helston Farmers’ Market has strict guidelines which only allow locally produced food from businesses within a certain area to be sold at the market. More than 40 stallholders make it the biggest of its kind in the county selling everything from cider, stinging nettle beer and sushi to cakes, jams, bread, curries, sausages and fresh fish.

“Helston Farmers’ Market is held in the old town cattle market building which was officially closed down after the Foot and Mouth Outbreak in February 2001. Now once a month small food producers who live and work around the town are able to use it again to sell local food to local people. For most of 2011 the market will be held at Helston Community College while the Cattle Market building is re-developed into a local food hub for whole of West Cornwall. The town has a buzz on market days which is exactly what a farmers’ market is designed to do. It’s something South Kerrier Alliance and people in the town are rightly proud of.”

Joanne Schofield – Helston Farmers’ Market Organiser.

CONTACT

TEL: 01326 231146

MOB: 07933 774810

EMAIL: jschofield54@aol.com

WEB: www.southkerrieralliance.org.uk