We’ve Done It
We’ve done it! We can’t quite believe it yet, but earlier today we hit the £20000 mark. Thank you, thank you, thank you to every one of our 200+ backers so far, who have ensured we can kit out the bakehouse on Stoneham Road and further nourish the community.
Those of you who have been keeping an eye on the target will have seen that we jumped very speedily from £10000 to £20000; in fact it was one pledge. We’d applied to the Santander Changemaker Match Fund, and we’re really pleased to say that we were accepted, meaning that Santander pledged the remaining £10000 of our target.
So what next? Well, Crowdfunder give us the chance to add a stretch target. This is a great opportunity, and we want to grab it with both hands and use it to support more people with their wellbeing through working with dough. With the money we overfund, we want to run more projects with the local schools, older people’s groups, women going through times of difficulty, and be able to reach areas of the community we’ve not worked with before.
We still knead you, but so does the wider community!
We Knead Your Help
Today we launched our crowdfunding campaign with a pop-up shop in our premises on Stoneham Road. As many of you will know, we’ve been busy filling, sanding and painting. It’s now time to fill the space with new wiring, an oven, mixer…and all the other equipment we will need to turn the shape into a community bakery. We ‘knead’ your help!
In return for your money, we have some great rewards for you. For the small amount of £10, you can support us, and in return receive a loaf a week for four weeks when we’re open. We also have other rewards, including spaces on our breadmaking workshops, an opportunity to attend a VIP pizza night, and even the chance for a personalised breadmaking workshop for you and some friends. So, if you want to help us out please visit our crowfunder page, and make a pledge.
Stoneham Bakehouse at the Gateway Centre
One of the great things about Stoneham Bakehouse’s growth over the last few years has been the range of people we’ve worked with. From children in pre-schools, to older people suffering from dementia, we’ve used breadmaking to support their wellbeing.
The other week, I had the privilege to work with a group of women from the Gateway Centre, run by Off the Fence. The women who use the centre are often going through times of difficulty or emotional distress, and I was humbled to be welcomed into the group so warmly. Baking bread with a group always has a way of easing tensions, and encouraging chat, and these words below show how this group benefitted from the session.
It was lovely to see all the women so happy baking bread.
It brought back lots of happy memories of baking when I was a child
I could have kneaded all day – it was very relaxing.
At this exciting time for the Bakehouse, with painting and bakery planning going on, it was a brilliant reminder of the importance of our work in the community. As we move forward, we want be able to support people across the community whatever their difficulties, and we’re excited about doing so at the bakehouse on Stoneham Road.
Join Us for a Community Paint Date
As you know, we’ve started to develop the premises on Stoneham Road into our very own bakehouse. We want to build a bakery which the community can be proud of, and we need your help. One of the jobs we can start, and one which we can get your help with, is the painting. So, we’re going to have a Community Paint Date. And the date is Saturday 4th February.
If you are able to come along for a bit and help, please get in contact (email, or call Simon 07786927110). We’ll aim to start at 9:00am and will keep going until midday or so. We will also be carrying out preparatory work on the Thursday (2nd Feb) morning and Friday (3rd Feb), so if you want to come down and help with the sanding and filling, let us know. If you’re not a painter, or can’t help on that day, please do come along anyway during the morning and say hello.
Big News!
We’re very excited to announce the news today that we have secured our very own premises, which we will be working to convert into a permanent home. Stoneham Bakehouse has been operating for just over two years; with our bread being baked in a number of ovens across the Poets’ Corner area, and this move is big news. Situated on Stoneham Road, right next to our friends The Hive, the space is ideally located to fulfil our dream of bringing a bread oven to the heart of the area, and enable us to continue our mission to use breadmaking to nourish the community.
Getting a space is the first step on this journey, and for the next step we’re asking for your help. Do you have a skill which may assist our refit? Perhaps you’re able to volunteer time to paint? Or maybe you know a local tradesman who might be able to help? We’d like to hear from you. Get in contact through this site, email, Facebook or Twitter, or by phoning 07786927110 and talk to Simon.
It’s important at this point to say a big thank you to everyone who have helped us get this far. You are all stars; and make it possible to launch into this next chapter of Stoneham Bakehouse knowing that we are doing something which will grow and nourish the community for years to come.
