Brixton Market Traders need your urgent help!

On Saturday 16th July, a devastating fire ripped through a storage warehouse in Brixton Market, where twelve market traders were storing their goods to sell. Many of these traders have been in Brixton Market for decades, supplying the community with essential goods in an area hit by high living costs and increased gentrification. They were already in a vulnerable position as the neighborhood was being developed away from traditional vending, and now this fire, which required over 100 firefighters to put out, has utterly destroyed their livelihoods. These traders now have no way to earn money in a cost of living crisis and urgently need our support.

Imam Ali Sultan has been selling men’s clothing in the market since 2008. He said: “I feel useless. I can do nothing for my wife and four children. They need me but I am useless as I have no business as I have no stock.”

Reza Sultani took over his father’s stall, which has been trading for 15 years. He said: ‘It’s my family business. This business supports my family. Everything has been ruined, if I don’t start working right away, I will lose my house, I cannot pay rent, pay bills.”

Sarwar Amarkhim has been trading for more than 10 years. He has two pitches and sells men's clothing and accessories. All his stock has been destroyed. He said: “I have to start again from zero, I have nothing left. I have been building this business for 10 years and now I have nothing to show for it.”

The chair of the Brixton Market Traders Federation, John Gordon, who is liaising with all the affected traders, has asked Save Nour to help with the technical side of setting up a crowdfunder. All the money raised here will go directly to the account of the Brixton Market Traders' Federation, which is a non-profit community interest company who are best placed to distribute the money directly to the traders who need it. The money raised will help traders with their rent, bills and living costs and to replace their stock so they can get back on their feet again.

Please donate what you can! And for updates on a campaign for rent relief and a new storage area as more information is gathered follow @save_nour. Solidarity and support is the best resource traders have available right now!

More information on the technical aspects can be found below.

The traders whose stock has been lost in the fire are represented by the Brixton Market Traders' Federation, whose chair John Gordon reached out to Save Nour to ask us to create and publicize a fundraiser. We have linked this fundraiser to the bank account of the BMTF, a community interest company that regularly settles bills related to the vendors in the market, chaired by John Gordon.

When the target is reached and the withdrawal account is validated by GoFundMe, the money will go directly to the Traders Federation. The traders will spend the funds on replacing the stock that has been lost, as well as on their rent and bills while they have temporarily lost their ability to earn a living.