by Katrina Allen @rosetintvintage
On 12th July, Black Tom will host Bedford’s first Jumble Trail. A jumble trail is like a jumble sale, but on your street. Communities come together to set up stalls in their front gardens, creating a treasure trail of bric-a-brac, furniture, vintage clothing, cake, home grown veg, jam… whatever.
Stallholders register at jumbletrail.com, and their stall appears on a handy map of the area, ready to be accessed by hordes of eager rummagers. It’s like a car boot sale, without the 6am start, the flask of tea and the muddy fields. You only have to travel as far as your front door!
If you’re out for a bargain, a trail means you can pootle about your neighbourhood, bumping into friends and neighbours, and making new ones whilst keeping an eye out for something interesting. You can plot your way around with our handy map we’ll be handing out on the day, at the unofficial “start” near Robinson Pool, and finish of your trail at The Burnaby Arms on Stanley Street for a well-earned drink or perhaps one of their famous toasties.
I decided to become a Jumble Trail Champion (the name given to a person organising the event) after spotting a friend attending a London trail on facebook (where would we be without social media!) Immediately, it struck me that Black Tom, or Prime Ministers to give it it’s posher name, would be the perfect place to hold one. With its network of small businesses, local pub, swimming pool and Bedford Park on the door step, not to mention the nature reserve, there’s always been a real sense of community in this corner of Bedford. And I haven’t been proven wrong so far, Black Tom residents have embraced the idea, and with the help of The Burnaby Arms and lovely volunteers ready to deliver leaflets (thanks Finney!) and put up posters, word is steadily spreading.
The Jumble Trail revolution has already hit London and other towns. Just a quick glance at their facebook page shows a new trail springing up every weekend.
If you’d like to take part as a trader, you can register your stall at www.jumbletrail.com/event/BLACKTOMBEDS. There is a small fee of £5, and all profits from that fee go to the British Red Cross, to help in disaster areas, such as the recent earthquakes in Nepal. You’ll then get your very own magpie pin on the trail map, colour-coded by what you’re intending to sell.
And if you’d like to attend, just pop along between 11am and 4pm on Sunday 12th July. Come find us near Robinson Pool to grab a map, or even one of our limited edition Swag Bag totes, and head out on the trail.
