The bakery: how do we do it?

Ever wondered how the bakery works?

Well, not like a normal one! We work within school ours so that our volunteers can participate. That's why the bread isn't ready until 2pm - but so very worth waiting for! The team have devised their ways of working in the kitchen - who takes what role, who prefers to focus on which breads, who does the opening and closing checks (and cleaning!) and who packs and labels the bread. In about 4 hours the team are producing about 30 loaves every Monday and Wednesday, with capacity for up to about 50 loaves - so get booking if you want a tast, we can do more!

Image description: A man in white tshirt with facemask and apron bending down and reaching into the bread oven.

Albert Smith (right) is our baking leader who brings with him years of expertise baking bread, running bakeries and... comedy, sewing and midwifery, he's a man of many talents! Albert and the bakery team have a great rapport - they are honest with each other, there's definitely kitchen banter, but there's so much love and mutual support too.

Naomi (below left) is also an integral member of staff, supported by uber volunteer Deanne (below right). Naomi runs the bakery creche, which we have now opened up to be a Stay and Play on Mondays and Wednesdays 10am-12pm. The creche is really important. It means that the bakery team members who have pre-school children are able to participate, and during school holidays every team member can bring their children to socialise with each other. Naomi is an Ofsted registered childcare provider and we think she is incredible. Always calm, happy and giving the children lots of stimulating play. Deanne is a wonder. With 5 children of her own, she comes to the Hub for even more punishment! She just adores the kids and has been so helpful in making the creche - and therefore the bakery - workable.

And while the bakery team give up their time to build confidence and skills in baking and social enterprise, we are always on the look out for new development opportunities for them. One such opportunity was last Saturday, when local arts organisation Multistory used our communmity room to launch the fabulous By Us, For you: A Personal Safety Guide (downloadable, check it out - more on the event in an upcoming blog post!). When we were asked if we had ideas of lunch suppliers we excitedly shouted ‘yes! The bakery team!’ Four of the women regularly cook for each other and our Bring and Share lunch, and the food is outstanding. So perhaps now there is a new catering business on the horizon too!…

”Volunteering in the bakery for me is a good option to gain important experiences and how to work and help others and bear positive results for me.”

”I'd like to do something for the area I live in
Increase my confidence in sharing work that helps others”

So, the bakery is a lot of things. It’s baking bread, yes. But it’s about baking bread for friendship, confidence, experience. It’s about baking good bread for healthy nutritional balance. It’s about providing free opportunities for the pre-schoolers to socialise and play together. And it’s about an intergenerational, cross-cultural community coming together to make great things happen. Oooh, we do love it!

Bakery team selfie! Image description: Six of the bakery team in a group selfie, mostly focused on their faces, smilling and looking excited, each with either a kitchen hair net or a headscarf.

None of this would have been possible without, firstly, the team. Our local community buying the bread - including Why Not Coffee on Bearwood Road. And then the support we have received to set up. The groundwork by Mothership Projects and Smethwick CAN, the funding support from SCVO, The National Lottery Community Fund, The Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust Charity. We are grateful to you all!