Resolved to Learn to Bake?

With the start of a new year, people like to make resolutions. If you’ve resolved to learn to bake, why not check out our list of workshops happening in the next few months. You may have received one of our vouchers at Christmas, or just fancy a new challenge. Have a look below, or click on the workshops tab above.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

With the recent cold weather, last weekend’s Winter Market, and a Festive Bread workshop on Monday at The Hive; it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. This time of the year is a time to be with loved ones, to reconnect with friends, to spend time with neighbours. It is with this in mind that the Bakehouse is closing for the festive period.

bakingSo, Friday 16th will be our last Friday bake of the year. We’ll also do a special extra bake on Tuesday 20th December, with collection from The Hive between 3-4pm. This will coincide with the Hive’s Festive Film event, and will mark the end of 2016 for the Bakehouse. We’ll be reopening early in the New Year, and are looking forward to an exciting 2017.

 

Bread Means All Things to All People

I was lucky enough to got to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference the other day. One of the speakers was a poet, Dean Atta, who read his fabulous heartfelt poems on mental health issues. We got talking, and he told me about the performance poet Simon Mole, and his poem Making Bread.

Simon loves making bread, it means a lot to him.

Making bread allows me to do nothing at all for large chunks of time when the dough is resting or rising, but for once this lack of activity doesn’t worry me. I am doing something vital and necessary. I am making bread.

Bread means a lot to me too. Making it has been one way I’ve worked out can help me to manage my own depression and anxiety.  Bread (and making it) nourishes us in so many different ways. It means many things to many different people. What does it mean to you?

Nourishing our Community in Different Ways

A weekend or two ago, we had a stall at The Hive’s Christmas Market. Like our stalls at the Farmers’ Market, we had a great selection of bread on offer; bread made by our volunteer workforce. One difference to stalls in the past was the fact that we had some new, young, volunteers to help sell our wares. Along with their support officer from Brighton & Hove YOS, two young people were working as part of a reparative project. As a community business and social enterprose, this kind of project very much fits our ethos. Through giving these people a chance to interact with the community in a positive way, we’re helping to promote integration. fullsizerender3

As the Bakehouse develops we want to involve more people like this. We should be nourishing our community; not just through the bread you buy, with the processes involved in its production and sale.

Anxious and On Air

On Monday last week, I was interviewed by the guys at People’s Republic of Brighton & Hove Radio. Their radio station has been set up to share, and make people aware of, the plethora of amazing community events and organisations across our city. It’s always great to get our message on air; the message of baking bread with members of your community being good for our own and the community’s wellbeing. Whether you’re anxious, lonely, or just a bit low, bread can help.

You can listen to the interview here (around about the 44 minute point); I’m told I sounded enthusiastic and confident, and I hope I manage to convey the fact that Stoneham Bakehouse is different from a standard bakery. Yes, we bake good Real Bread, but we do so in order to support the wellbeing of the bakers and the community. What was unsaid in the interview, or at least only eluded to, was my anxiety on the day. It’s amazing how you can act calm and relaxed (or at least a reasonable impression of it); yet just before, inside, you’re worried and doubting your abilities to do the job. I’ve had to do a growing amount of this kind of interview recently, but I still get anxious about it. It’s silly as I know the story, it’s my story, but I nonetheless get worried and doubt that I’ll be able to say sensible things. I’ve managed to get better at it, and acting confident helps. As they say “fake it til you make it“. However, the funny feeling in the tummy, the racing heart, is still evident on occasions.  Luckily, baking bread can help me to reset the system, to redress the balance; the calming nature of working with the dough allowing me to return to a normal state.

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