Oswestry Makers Market founder honoured for bringing the town together

The woman behind one of Oswestry's friendliest markets has been recognised for her work bringing the town together. Maddie Moore, founder of Oswestry Makers Market, has been named the August 2026 winner of the Oswestry and District Mike Harris Community Award.

The monthly award was set up by The New Saints FC chairman Mike Harris to celebrate people whose hard work and community spirit often go unnoticed. Presenting it, Andrew Ruscoe recognised her contribution to local life, and Mike Harris described her as "a wonderful example of someone who puts kindness and community at the heart of everything she does".

The market itself is a community event held at Oswestry Memorial Hall. It showcases independent makers, artists and small businesses, and its mission is to give new makers the confidence and skills to take part in markets. New stallholders can attend a free Market Masterclass with tips on preparing and managing a stall, and makers share ideas and support through a WhatsApp group.

Speaking to Oswestry Life, Maddie explained that markets run in the family. Her father had a pitch on Oswestry Market on the Bailey Head car park for ten years, and she has tried to build the same sense of community, inviting local musicians and asking local groups to run a pop-up cafe to raise money for good causes.

Between market days, a craft group meets every Monday from 12.30pm to 2pm at the Memorial Hall, offering a relaxed space for people to create and share ideas.

Maddie's community work reaches further still. She began as a volunteer at Oswestry Memorial Hall and is now a trustee. With a fellow local artist she started Sketch for Health, a creative wellbeing project designed to tackle social isolation and support mental health. She has also organised fundraising events for Cardiac Risk in the Young, with the aim of holding a local cardiac screening day in 2027.

She does all this while living with M.E. and fibromyalgia, which make a traditional full-time career impossible, and has put her creative energy into making sure others feel valued and connected.

Oswestry Makers Market takes place on the first Saturday of March, June, September and December at Oswestry Memorial Hall, so the next market falls on Saturday 5 December. Follow Oswestry Makers Market on Facebook and Instagram for updates.