ACH’s Christmas Markets | Our Stallholders’ Stories
We are in the most exciting time of the year. Christmas is a time for celebration, laughter and having fun. Visiting Christmas markets, having a snack, drinking hot coffee, and shopping for gifts are some of the most beautiful activities during this period. Beautiful gifts are displayed on the fancy stands. Well, have you ever wondered who stands behind these stalls? It's time to learn more!
At ACH we support people from many different cultures with different skills - according to their needs. During the Christmas period, we offered stalls to our clients in Bristol and Bath. From the establishment of the stalls to the sale of the products, we were with them at every moment. Handmade ornaments, clothes, jewelry, and our HOMEMADE tea produced by Bristol women were sold at our stands.
Our clients had the opportunity to exhibit and sell their products. But more importantly, they made new connections and gained confidence. Some of our clients also donated part of their income from the products they sold to help people in Ukraine!
Tetyana and Zhenya left everything behind and came to England because of the war in Ukraine. They were building a new life in the UK and crossed paths with ACH. With the guidance of Shalini and Eloise from our Business Support team, they are using their skills to build their lives here in the UK.
Zhenya is a talented photographer, and she also designs handmade jewelry. Tetyana makes handmade baby blankets and baby sets. Tetyana and Zhenya are just two of our entrepreneurs joining the Bath and Bristol markets. Everyone has a different story, but everyone's goal is the same: to live happily and achieve their ambitions.
‘It was a new experience for me, I attended the Christmas market for the first time and exhibited my products. To be honest, I was very nervous at first. Because I've never sold anything before! But the atmosphere was great. The ACH team, especially Eloise, Shalini, and Tom, was always with us. They rented a free stand for us and gave us the opportunity to promote our handmade products. We really needed this support. During this time, we make lots of connections.
I saw that people here want to support Ukraine, want to support us. I felt very happy and grateful. Today, together with my 15-year-old daughter, we decided to donate some of our profit from our sales to Ukraine. Unfortunately, due to the bombing in Kyiv, there is no electricity or heating. We want to support our country, thank you for giving us this opportunity!’ -Zhenya
People from Ukraine and different nationalities exhibited their products in our Christmas markets, gaining experience trading and interacting with customers. At the same time, they were involved in the community and were able to build support networks, making it easier to build their businesses.
'I sold my handmade products and talked to customers. I am very happy to meet new people and chat with them. At the same time, we donate 10% of the income of every product we sell. Unfortunately, there is no electricity and heating in Ukraine due to bombs in some regions. That's why we bought a power bank and we wanted to support our country in this way. We want to deliver them to Ukraine before the new year' -Tetyana
ACH will continue to support entrepreneurs from a migrant background by holding markets and many other ways over the next year through our Business Support programmes. Thank you to everyone who came and supported us at this year’s markets!
See you at the next market, happy new year!
