New Year Honours
When the Nelson Market was in its early years, founder Nita Knight was given an acorn by a local who said, ‘‘ You keep this and just remember – great oaks from little acorns grow.’’ The phrase was like a prophecy. The market has continued to flourish as part of Nelson life on Saturdays, a springboard for local businesses and a place for people to congregate.
In the New Year Honours today Knight became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and the community.
She received the distinction just in time to celebrate the market’s 40th year.
Knight said she was ‘‘excited’’ to be acknowledged for her ‘‘lifetime’s work’’. ‘‘It’s a great honour to receive that award. I see it as a recognition of the important part the Nelson market plays in the community.’’
Knight’s motivation for starting the market in 1978 came from wanting to capitalise on the region’s climate.
‘‘I had this idea of the market with gazebos, flags and colour – just a very vibrant place where people could come.’’
The council gave Knight a month to get the market off the ground, with a target of 60 stalls selling second-hand items, produce and crafts. It started in Millers Acre in 1978, before moving to its current site in Montgomery Square. She remembered one naysayer who didn’t think it would last. ‘‘There was a gentleman who used to come down there, he used to say, ‘I don’t think this sort of thing is going to take off’.
‘‘In the end I had to bring it to his attention that he was down there every Saturday.’’
The market evolved throughout the years, bringing in food stalls and growing in reputation.
‘‘What I’ve done is really kept the standard as high as possible, maintaining quality rather than quantity.’’
The market has been the launch pad for many successful local businesses including Anathoth Jam, Proper Crisps, Hogarth’s Chocolates, Pete’s Lemonade and Pic’s Peanut Butter.
‘‘It’s been a great sense of happiness to see so many businesses develop and grow through the years. It’s a great thing.’’
Attracting market-goers from near and far, she said she had calls from ‘‘out-of-towners’’ asking if it would be open.
It also grabbed attention during a royal visit in 2015. ‘‘I was told that Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall particularly asked to be shown these markets during their visit.’’ Local honours............................ Full honours list ....................... National honours.....................
Knight said every Saturday she had a sense of achievement. ‘‘Each week I see the gazebos going up and products coming out and the camaraderie of the stall holders and customers and I feel delighted to be able to produce that.’’
She said she likened the market’s early morning buzz to ‘‘getting a ship ready to sail’’ with the hustle and bustle of people readying their stalls and the clink of gazebos being set up.
The market has become a family affair, not only for the locals who attend but for Knight’s own family. Her son, Jason runs Monty’s Sunday Market and the grandchildren are involved behind the scenes.
Knight’s community spirit also includes offering stalls at reduced rates to groups such as Nelson Tasman Hospice, Cancer Society and St John’s and being active in organisations including Keep Nelson Beautiful Trust and the Nelson Performing Arts Society.
Others honoured in the region were peanut butter king Pic Picot for services to business and Golden Bay’s Liz Eastman for services to the arts. Full stories, page 3.