Visit the Leopards Club on Saturday for “fantastic finds at great prices”.

Willie Ferguson calls it a market for the time that we’re living in.

He’s one of several vendors signed up to sell clothing, household appliances, jewellery, baked goods and other items at the 75-year-old charity on Brunswick Street.

For Mr Ferguson, the eight-hour Community Vendors’ Market perfectly aligned with his work as the chairman of MOVE, an acronym for mobilise, organise, visualise and execute.

The organisation advocates for the needy whenever it feels that government policy is against them.

Taxes are a massive bugbear as the impact on “poor people is [greater] than on the middle class or those who are more financially stable”.

The group remains annoyed by a 2022 government decision to eliminate customs duty on essential goods.

Although it was promised the move would provide financial relief for working families, Mr Ferguson says he’s yet to see it.

“How does that translate to us? We look at things from dollars and cents. What has actually happened is there's been no translation at all in prices for us, when they've been given free tariffs.

“So we approach government and government says they can't do anything about it because it's a capitalist society.

“So what sense did it make to give them duty-free goods to pass on [savings] to us if they’re not going to do it?

“It’s a lot of issues that come up like that, and they don't think about the impact it has on people who are working. And right now, a lot of people are not working.”

It’s because of such decisions that the vendors’ market is so vital, he added.

Not only does it give people a chance to stretch their dollars, it offers an opportunity to network.

The market is to be set up in the main hall of the Leopards Club. Music will play; anyone who feels the beat is welcome to dance while they shop.

“If persons attending the market do not see what they are looking for all they have to do is take a seat at the help desk and record their name, contact information and what they are looking for in the notebook provided.

“They may even note the amount which they are prepared to pay for the desired item(s),” said event organiser Peggy Burns.

“They then deposit their note in the bin provided and at the end of the sale day all notes will be withdrawn and read to the vendors. Any vendors who can satisfy patrons’ needs will be given the note to do their own follow-up.”

Mr Ferguson believes it will appeal to the 60 or so members of MOVE.

“We also have a lot of sympathisers, for one reason or another. People are fearful of being known for protests or lending their face, or their voice, to different issues.

“They fear that their landlord may be politically attached and they may think that there’s going to be retribution. But the core of us are not. We're not afraid of that. We’re about the issues, come what may.”

The group was formed in 2015. Representatives will be there on Saturday selling baked goods.

“Usually the people who come to this vendor village are people who are basically, less fortunate. They support us.

“We don't get the average person who would go on Front Street or Reid Street or Church street to shop actually coming there.

“It’s a community thing, basically and that’s who we support so we’re there. And we will be offering what we have for them to enjoy.”

Prices will be cheaper and if buyers think a cost is too high the option to barter is there.

“For instance, if you see something for $2 and you have $1.50, we’re going to take the $1.50.

“It’s all community based. We understand that people can’t afford things so we’ll take what they can.

“Let me tell you why it's happening. You’re getting more and more people bartering – I got this, I can exchange this for that. You’re getting a lot of it in the community right now.”

Freshly squeezed juices and vegetables are among the many items often put up for exchange.

“The only thing they’re not selling right now is meat. But, there’s definitely a market. [People] sell clothes out of their car, out of their house.

“You go to some houses and they’re selling cigarettes, they’re selling sodas, they’re even selling beer. It’s a lot going on that main society doesn’t know about.”

It’s all driven by the inequity that exists. According to Mr Ferguson, many of the sellers “don’t feel like they are part of society”.

“They need to find a way to survive and that’s how they do it,” he said.

“Businessmen, they go to different events and they call it networking. This is how poor, working people network.

“They go to areas where they can network and find out different things for them to buy or sell.

“Not only that, they get different types of information on perhaps a job – such and such is hiring, ‘let me talk to my boss’. That's how they network on the street.”

• The Community Vendors’ Market takes place at the Leopards Club on Saturday from 10am until 6pm. For more information contact Peggy Burns: 297-1624; nanapeggy@livenet.bm