*January 2025

Contract Brief

Market Organiser for North Kessock Community Market

Introduction

Transition Black Isle (“TBI”)was set up in February 2009. It is a charity and a company limited by guarantee. At present there are nearly 200 members.

TBI is part of the worldwide Transition movement, and we see our role as helping Black Isle communities thrive in the face of climate change and disruption to global resources.  Our activities include encouraging non-car travel, promoting energy saving measures, running community markets, supporting local food producers as well as helping people to grow more of their own food and to make their own compost.

One of the ways in which we encourage local food producers is by running the community markets in North Kessock and Cromarty. The markets also provide an outlet for small non-food producers, which we welcome - although it isn’t our top priority. We are now seeking a market organiser for the North Kessock Community Market, to replace the current organiser, who is stepping down after around nine years.

Background to the North Kessock Community Market

North Kessock Community Market was first held in October 2009. This was in response to Transition Black Isle and Friends of the Earth Inverness and Ross perceiving a need for a focus for local people to be able to purchase local food and goods produced locally thereby reducing food miles and increasing community resilience. It takes place from 10am to 12.30pm on the last Saturday of the month. It was modelled on the Community Market at Culbokie on the other side of the Black Isle which had already been running for a couple of years and is run by Culbokie Community Trust. TBI also runs the Cromarty Community Market, and the three markets collaborate on some publicity.

There are over 100 stall holders who have attended over the years with about 25 at any one market. They are charged £12 per table and we also charge £10 to different community groups who take turns to run the refreshments.

We have also run other food related activities such as the 'Highland Food Challenge' which challenged people to eat local, seasonal, organic food and less meat, the Zero-waste Food Challenge and the annual Potato Day. We have also organised food demonstrations.

This Post

TBI wishes to contract in the services of a Market Organiser. The successful contractor will be expected to work from their own office and be responsible for their own office costs and for the administration of their own business and pay their own tax and National Insurance.

Market Organiser Responsibilities

The Market Organiser will

• Maintain at least monthly contact with treasurer and line manager and roughly annual meetings for all the Black Isle Markets.
• Contact all stall holders prior to the market and confirm who will be attending.
• Organise publicity including leaflets to local houses, posters and adverts as appropriate e.g. in 'Chatterbox' and  arranging putting up of road signs and banner. Some of this will be delegated to volunteers.
• Set up and ensure smooth running of the market with the help of volunteers
• Collect stall fees, give receipts and forward money to Transition Black Isle.
• Book venues for the market and help organise and promote other food events organised by Transition Black Isle together with volunteers.
• Work with the Market organisers for Cromarty and Culbokie particularly in terms of joint publicity and passing on details of stallholders who would like to participate in more than one market.
• There is no market in December so payment for this month is not automatic but we may identify other work which could be done instead of organising a market that month but this would be by mutual agreement.

It will be expected that the organiser will help set up and attend the market unless there is a good reason for unavailability, and arrange a substitute if unavailable.

Relationships

The North Kessock Community Market Organiser will report to the food group and we would encourage them to attend the food group which meets roughly quarterly and to take part in other events run by Transition Black Isle.  

Required Experience

The successful applicant will be passionate about promoting local food and crafts, and will ideally have experience of events management and some knowledge of environmental concerns particularly relating to local food. They will need to be flexible, co-operative and open to the ideas of others.  Specific knowledge of the 'transition' agenda and retail would be an advantage. A certain amount of travel will be necessary to attend meetings.  This should preferably be by public transport or shared lifts with other voluntary members.

The preferred candidate will have experience in many of the following areas:

• Organising and co-ordinating
• Volunteer organising
• email and excel
• Budget management
• Publicity
• Retail an advantage
• Food hygiene certificate or willingness to undertake required training 

Budget

We anticipate that the job will take around 13 hours per month and the budget is for £175.

Bids

Bids are invited by Thursday 13^th January 2025 including the following:

• CV indicating relevant experience
• 2 referees
• The earliest start date of contract

Bids should be sent to anne.katherine.thomas@gmail.com

For more details ring  01463 731303

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North Kessock Community Market

North Kessock Market is run by Transition Black Isle.

It takes place at the North Kessock Village Hall on the last Saturday of each month between 10 am and 12.30.

(Sylvie Main is the market organiser; contact Sylvie to book a stall or for information about the Community Market.)

January 2025 - Sylvie is stepping down after nine years and we are recruiting for a new organiser - see the job description above and advertisement on the News tab.

Mobile     07926 044064   
or email   kessockmarket@transitionblackisle.org
or                          Sylviemain@googlemail.com

Check the calendar for the next market dates

All Black Isle 2023 market dates   (PDF)

Lovely, local fresh vegetables and other produce and local crafts – much better than supermarket shopping!