Coronation Street stars at Earls Farm Farmers Market

Earls Farm has hosted a farmers market community fair today raising money for Bolton Hospice and Back Up North West.

With entertainment from Boy Gorgeous and Coronation Street star, Scott Wright, the field was buzzing with live music and independant business stalls selling a variety of products.

Karen Yates, the organiser of the event at Earls Farm said the day has been great so far.

Family fun day

She said: "We decided to do the day because I am patron ambassador for Bolton Hospice and I am also a guardian for BackUp and obviously with Covid nobody has been able to do many events or anything like that and I just thought it was a great thing to do to get the vital funds for them.

"The day has been good, there has been a good atmosphere but I think the weather put some people off a little bit I'll be honest with you but yes it has been good overall.

"We have got wax melts stalls, we have BackUp charity here with their van, we've got a cake stall, a honey stall, the guy that dioes the honesy stall is actually coming onto the farm in coming weeks so he breeds bees, we have got woodwork.

"I wanted to do a farmers market community fun day, something for the children as well to get everybody involved really rather than just a farmers market."

The Mayor of Bolton attended the event alongside Coronation Street actress, Katie McGlynn, from Rochdale, who played Sinead Osbourne.

Katie McGlynn

Speaking about the event, Katie said: "The day has been really good so far, everyone is dead lovely.

"I had a tarot reading, that was good, it was very apt actually and I've had a cake and had a coffee and it's just really beautiful around here, I'm really enjoying it.

"I think the event is for such a good cause like I have always got a place in my heart for homeless charities and mental health charities and then obviously the farm and everything that is going on with that, so it's just nice to be here and to support it all."

Speaking to stall holders at the farmers market, many said they attended because they wanted to support the two charities.

Sarah Hulme's products

Sarah Hulme, stall holder for Arbonne products and Northern Lashes, said: "I am really happy to be here to support two amazing local charities.

"Bolton Hospice did a lot for my mum before she passed aways and BakcUp does an amazing job for local youngsters in Bolton."

Kerry Carter, a stallholder selling handmade knitted items said: "It was my sisters idea to come here, she went to school with the owner of the farm, so she just wanted to come and do something locally and show off this as her hobby, so we just thought we would give it a go.

"This is the first time we have ever done anything like this, so we are just giving it a try."

BackUp North West also have their own stall, in the form of a van, selling hot drinks and cakes.

BackUp North West charity van

Becky Boydell and Ruth Butcher said they expected a larger turnout but they have still be reasonably busy.

Becky said: "We have been reasonably busy on the BackUp van, it's a shame that there haven't been more people to the event as a whole, we did expect more, but the weather has held off for most of the day so we think we have been lucky with that but yes there is a massive variety of things on offer, it's just a shame there is not more people taking advantage of it."

Families are also enjoying spending their day at the farmers market.

Ellie Jackson, partner and two children had a great day.

Ellie said: "We just we would come as its something for the kids to do really and because of the bouncy castle, it's been a good day."