The Hoyland-based National Market Traders' Federation (NMTF) is beefing up its team to help with rapidly expanding projects across the UK.

 

The trade association at Hawshaw Lane represents 30,000 market traders across the UK - about 75 per cent of market traders in the country.

 

Among its projects are First Pitch (a market trader start-up scheme delivered all over the country), the nationwide campaign Making Markets Matter, and Love Your Local Market, a festival of UK markets.

 

The NMTF also collects data about markets, has an insurance scheme for traders and offers practical guides covering all aspects of market trading.

 

The NMTF has been around for more than 100 years and has a retail apprenticeship scheme. It also partners the Department of Work and Pensions to offer work experience on markets to people claiming benefits.

 

Projects manager Chris Savage said: "A market is a business unit and we give a voice and support to the traders to adapt to the new retail environment."

 

There are currently 15 staff in the NMTF office, but their workload is getting heavier.

 

Chris said: "For First Pitch we had 350 applications and 200 young people and women were offered a free pitch for up to five days. One hundred of those went through 12 months' training, and we keep in touch with them on a regular basis. That's just one project."

 

The organisation is recruiting for a new full-time, permanent role as a projects executive to support projects, campaigns, marketing and the markets intelligence service.

 

Responsibilities include leading on administration and relations with market traders and NMTF members.

 

Chris said this week the NMTF had already received ten applications. The closing date is on October 4.