Following the publication of the influential Markets 21 report, the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) has teamed up with the Institute of Place Management (IPM) to offer professional recognition and support to its members.

The membership awards are funded by NABMA and IPM for the first eighteen months of membership and are available at three levels (Associate, Member and Fellow) and reflect an individual's skills, experience and achievements in managing market places. Whilst professional status has already been awarded to others in the place management industry, such as town and city centre managers who are now used to seeing letters after their name, the partnership between IPM and NABMA will, for the first time, see the concept extended to market managers. In addition NABMA are also offering six bursaries of £500 for the Introductory Diploma in Market Management, which launches in the New Year. Both initiatives are being launched at NABMA's annual conference, which has also been accredited as Continuing Professional Development by the IPM. The conference is in Buxton and starts this coming Sunday (http://www.nabma.com/en/training/training-and-development-calendar/annual-conference--2010-01-07.php).

NAMBA's Chief Executive, Graham Wilson comments "an important part of NABMA's existence is to increase the professional standards in the management and delivery of markets whilst also ensuring markets contribute to the sense of place in a location, by working in partnership with the professional body for place management, we can ensure our members' skills and knowledge are both valued and developed and that markets are more integrated in terms of the local area's development and governance". A full training needs analysis for NABMA members will be conducted before Christmas to establish their development needs.