The Trove Market

Our mission is to help children and young people improve their educational outcomes and enhance their future employment prospects. By facilitating a range of high-quality extra-curricular activities for free, we make participation in the arts and sport more accessible and help equip children with a healthy mindset and essential soft skills.

THE TROVE MARKET is a fun community event in Tottenham, North London. It’s an outdoor event which takes place on the first Saturday of the month in Lordship Recreation Ground.

Some of the free activities we host include: jewellery making, drumming workshops, crocheting tutorials, card making, art workshops, sports sessions, toddler music sessions, and face painting.

At our monthly events, we also provide a platform for entrepreneurs of all ages. We hold space for the young and the not-so-young to trade side-by-side as they develop their entrepreneurial skills, test their business ideas and generate an income for themselves. The vision is that the different generations can connect and learn from each other.

THE TROVE MARKET is held in the middle of Lordship Recreation Ground, a beautiful, oasis-like park. We chose (and continue to choose this location) because we believe that spending time in nature does wonders for our wellbeing.  So, we want to promote an appreciation of nature and the many physical and mental benefits that stem from spending time outdoors.

THE TROVE MARKET was born from a desire to create a park-based event that brings the community together and makes a plethora of enriching activities accessible to all children. We launched THE TROVE MARKET in September 2021 and we’re excited to see this project develop and go from strength to strength.

The Back Story 

One day in 2020, I was in Lordship Recreation Ground with my three children. It wasn’t the first time we had visited the park but on that particular day I was struck by the unique position of where I was standing.

On one side of the park, I could see Broadwater Farm— a sprawling council estate which some call infamous. On the other side, I could see Higham Road— a sought-after residential street with sizeable houses. 

The two locations are within walking distance of each other but, generally speaking, they’re home to completely different demographics. And, in many ways, they represent two opposing worlds that could not be further removed from each other. 

Right in the middle of these two worlds is Lordship Recreation Ground.

THE TROVE MARKET is a market. When you visit, you’ll find food vendors and traders selling items such as candles, accessories, books, toys and artwork. But really, THE TROVE MARKET is so much more than that. It’s about bringing the community together, providing educational activities for kids, empowering entrepreneurs of all ages, and holding space for the underrepresented. 

You could say, THE TROVE MARKET is about helping to bridge the gap between the two worlds. THE TROVE MARKET is both an event and a grassroots movement.

This year, we’re excited to continue our work with our day-one-partners. We’re also excited to see our offering grow as we forge new relationships with other workshop facilitators, businesses and organisations. These are exciting times for THE TROVE MARKET and you get to be a part of the journey. 

We’re currently booking traders/food vendors for 2023.  If you’re interested in being a part of something great, send us an email and we’ll take it from there.

🗓: Saturday 6th May 2023
📍: Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham, N17 6NU
⏰: 11:00am-4:00pm

Also, follow us on Instagram to view our latest photos and videos.

This hoody is more than a garment.

People often ask why all the activities at THE TROVE MARKET are free. The answer is simple…to make them accessible to everyone.

This hoody represents empowerment. It’s a way for us to finance our work and craft our own table.

So, buy a hoody if you want and know that every pound will go towards supporting the work of THE TROVE MARKET. This hoody is more than a garment.

Why are extra-curricular activities important?

At THE TROVE MARKET we’re passionate about improving access to the arts and sport. Participating in extra-curricular activities helps kids thrive. I know this as a mother and a teacher but I also know this from the countless research papers that attest to this fact. The benefits experienced by children who participate in extra-curricular activities are numerous; below is a summary of some of these benefits:

1. The development of important life skills

Participation in extra-curricular activities builds confidence and helps children develop a range of soft skills. These include: persistence, independence, following instructions, and working well within a group (Carneiro & Heckman, 2005; Covay & Carbonaro, 2010). According to a report by The Social Mobility Commission: “extra- curricular activities give young people the confidence to interact socially with others, extend their social networks beyond existing friendship groups, and provide them with new skills and abilities.” The influence of extra-curricular activities on the acquisition of soft skills is especially significant because employers are increasingly stressing the necessity of these skills in the workplace.

2. Provide a healthy outlet for the pressure of life

Extra-curricular activities give children the opportunity to have fun and provide respite from the stresses of life.  They also help improve children’s mental health and wellbeing. In addition to this. the arts (art, drama, music, dance) help children develop their imagination, express themselves and learn about the world. At a time when mental health is at crisis, activities that promote wellbeing are more important than ever.

 3. Improve academic outcomes

Due to the pressures of standardised tests and the emphasis on core subjects, many schools lack the time and resources to focus on the arts and extra-curricular activities. However, time and time again, research has found a link between participation in extra-curricular activities and educational outcomes. Mahoney, Cairns & Farmer (2003)’s 8-year study found that extra-curricular activities had a positive effect on educational outcomes.

4. Help narrow the gap between the rich and poor

Extra-curricular activities play an important role in narrowing the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children. According to a study by Dumais (2006), “participation in extra-curricular activities contributed to increased reading test scores, and this gain was higher for disadvantaged children compared to their privileged counterparts.” Recent research by the Sutton Trust emphasises the fact that soft skills (which correlate directly with participation in extra-curricular activities) are essential for securing jobs and are therefore crucial for social mobility.

 5. Make it less likely that young people will drift into the criminal justice system

There is a large body of research that clearly demonstrates a strong link between extra-curricular activities and positive social behaviours (Barnes, Hoffman, Welte, Farrell, & Dintcheff, 2007; Bohnert, Richards, Kohl, & Randall, 2009; Bundick, 2011). A further study commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation and Cabinet Office found a strong link between soft skills and positive academic and broader life outcomes such as academic attainment, improved finance in adulthood and reduced crime (Gutman & Schoon, 2013).

THE TROVE MARKET is based in Haringey, which is the 4th most deprived borough in London. Tottenham is home to many children who, for various reasons, aren’t accessing sport and the arts. THE TROVE MARKET is about helping to remove some of the barriers to participation so that every child has access to high-quality extra-curricular activities. So that that, all children have the opportunity to develop the mindset and skills that are necessary to improve their educational outcomes and enhance their future employment prospects. 

Our monthly events are just the start. The dream is to host more frequent creative activities and sports sessions but for now we’re working on making our monthly events the best they can be.