Young market traders in Barnsley to sell school-grown fruit and vegetables at Barnsley Market

Children from schools across Barnsley will swap the classroom for market stalls this summer as they sell fresh, school-grown fruit and vegetables to the public in support of a great cause.

The first ever Young Marketeers Barnsley Market Day will take place on Tuesday 7 July from 12 to 2pm at Barnsley Market.

Children from eight local primary schools have spent the past few months growing produce from seed with support from expert gardeners as part of Young Marketeers, a food education programme run by charity School Food Matters, funded by Barnsley Council.

Now, they’ll harvest and sell their produce to shoppers, putting their new gardening, teamwork and marketing skills into practice while learning more about where food comes from.

Visitors to Barnsley Market can expect to find the children selling a colourful selection of seasonal produce, including beetroot, chard, courgettes, cucumbers, peas, radishes and tomatoes, alongside borage, calendula and a variety of salads.

Young Marketeers helps children develop practical gardening and enterprise skills while nurturing a life-long positive relationship with food, providing hands-on outdoor learning opportunities and increasing awareness of food waste. Giving access to food education equips children with the knowledge, confidence and appreciation of nutritious, sustainable food needed to make healthy, informed choices well into adulthood.

Cllr Gary Hall, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said:

“We’re delighted to be supporting the first ever Young Marketeers Barnsley Market Day, helping young people to take part in something hands-on, creative and inspiring. Through Young Marketeers, they’re not only learning how to grow their own food, but also building vital confidence, teamwork and enterprise skills that will benefit them for years to come. I’d encourage everyone to come along to Barnsley Market and support these brilliant young people while picking up some fresh, locally-grown produce.”

Stephanie Slater MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of School Food Matters, said:

“Food education is a vital life skill, and hands-on experiences such as growing and selling fresh produce can help children build a real connection with food and where it comes from. For 15 years, our Young Marketeers programme has been giving children the chance to learn new skills, work as a team and take pride in what they’ve grown. Market Day is a celebration of the value of food education and a moment for hundreds of enterprising young gardeners across the country to shine.”

Money raised from sales on the day will be donated to FareShare Yorkshire, a Barnsley-based organisation which sources and redistributes good surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.

Last year, Young Marketeers reached 120 schools in 14 cities across England. Feedback from participating children highlighted the programme’s impact, with 86% saying they learned a new gardening skill, 60% learning more about where food comes from, and 52% discovering something new about healthy eating. Now in its 15th year, the programme continues to grow and will be delivered in 16 cities in 2026.

Journalists and photographers are invited to attend the inaugural Young Marketeers Barnsley Market Day to meet participating children, take photos and speak to School Food Matters representatives.