Leighton Buzzard gets ready to jumble and raise money two good causes - why not join in too?

Leighton Buzzard residents are being encouraged to take part as sellers and buyers in the town’s first-ever jumble and craft trail.

The event which takes place over the weekend of Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1 (between the core times of 10am and 3pm on each day) and will raise money for Leighton Linslade Helpers and Young Enterprise Bedfordshire

For those unfamiliar with the concept, a jumble trail is like a car boot sale but instead of driving to a designated sale site, sellers who register to take part can pitch up their tables and wares outside in their garden or on their driveway. Sellers can choose to sell on only Saturday or only Sunday or on both days and take all the money they make on the day.

The trail is a volunteer-led event, organised by Totally Locally Leighton Buzzard. The group’s founder, Edwina Osborne, said: “Jumble Trails are very popular in lots of other towns and villages all over the UK. A friend of mine suggested organising one, and so the idea was born. I really hope that it will be a great community event and an opportunity to pick up second-hand and also locally made craft items. It’s a great opportunity to reuse, reduce and recycle and think about our shopping footprint especially at end of Plastic Free July”.

Registrations are open until July 25. Stalls are open to individuals, charities or businesses. Prospective stallholders should complete the signup form at https://tinyurl.com/jumbletraillb-sellersignup. The registration fee for sellers is only £5 (cheaper than going to a car boot sale!) which covers the cost of some publicity and a donation to Leighton-Linslade Helpers (and their Bronze4theSummer campaign which is aiming to raise £2,000) and Young Enterprise Bedfordshire (who run the Young Enterprise campaign at Vandyke Upper School in the town).

The seller numbers are growing daily. Those involved include the Leighton Buzzard Art Society, Suzie Bidlake and the All Saints Preservation Trust who will be holding a teddy tombola on Saturday, July 31. Energie Fitness Leighton Buzzard, located on Leighton Road, are generously making their forecourt available on both the Saturday and Sunday to sellers who don’t have space to sell directly outside their homes.

You can find the full list of stall holders around town at https://tinyurl.com/jumbletraillb-map. You can also find out more about the trail on Totally Locally Leighton Buzzard’s social media pages and via the website https://totallylocallyleightonbuzzard.wordpress.com/jumble-trail-lb.

Edwina added: "With fine weather predicted for the weekend and with the easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures, it is hoped that everyone in Leighton Buzzard will support this new event as either a seller or buyer with a chance to grab some bargains but also just as important the chance to shop sustainably and to reconnect with neighbours in Covid-19 secure way in fresh air. So get ready to jumble!"