When Local Support Opens Doors: From Lewisham to Wandsworth
By Caroline Bimbo Afolalu, founder of Beautiful Foods Ltd, makers of Tabitha’s Chin Chin
Sometimes, an event does more than create an opportunity to sell. It reminds you of the people who helped you begin—and gives you fresh hope for the journey ahead.
That was how I felt taking part in Wandsworth’s Black History Month market at Bramlands Square, Clapham Junction last Saturday, 17th of October 2026.
I was delighted to see Wandsworth Council supporting Black business owners with a place to trade, share our stories and celebrate our heritage. As a business based in Croydon, I was especially grateful to be welcomed.
Practical support that makes a difference
Watching Maya and Roisin from the Wandsworth business team personally setting up the market tables, ready for business owners to arrive, left a lasting impression on me.
We paid for our stall, while tables, tablecloths and social media support were provided at no additional cost. Alongside those provisions, their personal effort and warm welcome made us feel valued.
For a small business, support like this matters. Behind every market stall are hours of preparation, products to pack, costs to consider and hopes for a successful day. Arriving to find a team actively helping traders get ready is encouraging.
Remembering our beginnings in Lewisham
The experience took me back to the early days of Beautiful Foods Ltd and the support I received through Open Doors in Lewisham.
From 2002, Tony Goldstein, Managing Director of South East Enterprise, invested so much advice, time and practical help in my young business. He helped source grants for equipment and provided access to workshops covering marketing, cash flow management and much more.
I still remember him arranging photography and helping ensure that several of us who were new women in business were featured in Lewisham Life magazine.
When you are starting out, that kind of support matters enormously. You are learning, making decisions and trying to build something that will last. Someone taking your business seriously can strengthen your confidence as well as your skills.
More than two decades later, I still remember those acts of support.
Celebrating heritage and creating opportunities
Seeing Maya and Roisin’s commitment in Wandsworth brought that feeling back. Different boroughs, different years, but the same encouraging message: your business matters, and there are people willing to help it grow.
Black History Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate our heritage and recognise the businesses contributing to our communities today. Markets like this give that recognition a practical form: a place to meet customers, make sales, build relationships and be seen.
For us at Tabitha’s Chin Chin, it was also an opportunity to introduce people to a much-loved African snack, share our story and enjoy the conversations that happen when people taste something for the first time.
Thank you to the people behind the day
To Wandsworth Council’s business team, and especially Maya and Roisin: thank you. Your care, energy and practical work deserve to be recognised and appreciated.
To Tony Goldstein and those who supported us through Lewisham’s Open Doors: thank you too. The impact of your help has stayed with me throughout my business journey.
A special thank-you to Mbekewaeme, poet and photographer, for the lovely photographs capturing the day and giving us memories to share.
Finding hope and moving forward
To my fellow business owners: I know these are challenging times. Many of us are adapting, watching costs carefully and searching for new opportunities.
Yet there is still hope—in a new customer, a helpful conversation, a collaboration or an unexpected open door.
These may feel like the worst of times, yet they can still hold the beginnings of our best times.
Let us keep going, keep supporting one another and keep celebrating the people who help us move forward.
Discover our flavours and the story behind Tabitha’s Chin Chin at tabithaschinchin.com.
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