Well Street Market

The environment

WESTRA work together with Hackney Council to reduce the impact on our local environment and all traders are positively encouraged to reduce waste, recycle and respect and protect our local environment

The local economy

We have created new jobs, give priority to locals who want to trade and increased footfall to the high street. We hope to build on this and help retain money to the local area. We have had a positive impact through the creation of London's first teenage market which has helped develop the business and entrepreneurship skills of our young people. We have also created London's first Student Makers market and are nurturing and developing the business and creative talent of our local student makers, artists and designers.

Volunteering, jobs & education

The market itself has created new jobs on the high street. We have linked with East End Community Foundation and will provide corporate volunteer opportunities on market days. We have crowdfunded to provide free training to our local Student Makers, artists and designers through the company Future Foundry in order to support them to be successful freelances. We have also worked in partnership with Hackney Council who in turn are developing offering a training program to our teenage entrepreneurs at our Teenagers Market. We have been working with 'Hackney Ways into Work' team to offer jobs with our one of our traders, offering an exciting long term career in a new industry. We are looking to build on creating new opportunities through our live music stage through developing opportunities to gain experience in live music production and booking, particularly utilising community-minded, organised, music, skills, helping book exciting bands, music groups and DJs to come and play at Well Street Market,We are keen to promote local young musicians and dealing with big-name acts across a diverse range of genres and styles, and help setting up and running the monthly performance space with PA, gazebo covering and basic backline equipment, liaising with local community members and residents to create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere at each market. We will help provide technical experience in setting up and using a PA system, drums, DJ equipment and amplified instruments. We are also setting up our bee project and are hoping to develop an educational program affiliated to this to teach our local community the importance of bees and also use this as creative, meaningful ways of bringing our local community of all ages together.

Arts, culture & heritage

WESTRA have been nominated for a community superhero arts kicker award for our support of local student artists, designers and makers by crowdfunding for free stalls and training and creating London's first Student makers market. We were also nominated because of our work with the International artist Camille Walala and our mural where we transformed a derelict building into a colourful blast of tribal pop to bring Well Street back to life. We are liaising with local musicians, theatre groups, singers, spoken word artists and art foundations in order to deliver meaningful and exciting free program of events for our local community to enjoy. We have already delivered arts heritage by creating free gigs from Norman Jay MBE, Thris Tian, Wyles & Simpson and are now developing a series of exciting community events at the market.

Activity, health and leisure

WESTRA believe that the very creation of Well Street Market has had a positive impact on our community's well being as it encourages our local community to get together, converse and we believe that this is hugely important for our community's mental health and well being. WESTRA are developing a healthy eating program and intend to use the market as an educational and creative tool to host a series of events on market days. Our community bee project will begin in April and we intend to use each market day to tie in the importance of bees as an educational tool and hope this will have a positive impact on our community.