In this episode, Andy Haddon of Big River Bakery shares the story of the bakery's first five years, highlighting its evolution from a small community initiative to a social enterprise with a mission to promote sustainability, health, and affordability in food production. Key points include:

The Start of Big River Bakery:

Originally an offshoot of the Wylam Green Street climate change action group and Earth Doctors, Andy explored several food-related projects before focusing on baking. The bakery started with humble beginnings, selling bread at summer fairs and local markets. The initiative benefited from community support, volunteer efforts, and partnerships, including using the local library as a space for storage and sales, which boosted footfall and strengthened community ties.

Challenges and Growth:

Andy and the team faced numerous challenges, such as sourcing equipment, moving locations multiple times, and operating with limited funds. Despite setbacks, the bakery secured grants and held creative fundraisers, such as the “Dawn of the Bread” video, to finance its operations. Social impact remained central, with initiatives like baking workshops for isolated or underprivileged groups, emphasizing the therapeutic and community-building aspects of bread-making. Identity and Brand Transformation:

The bakery evolved from being known as Wylam Community Bakery to Big River Bakery, accompanied by a meaningful rebranding with a star-shaped logo representing core values (earth, water, fire, air, and spirit).This rebranding reflected the bakery's broader vision of being a hub for sustainable food production and social impact.

Collaborative Efforts and Vision:

Partnerships with local and international projects, such as Erasmus exchanges, inspired the bakery to embrace innovative ideas and expand its social impact. The bakery emphasized the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and building win-win collaborations for long-term success.Support Sustainable and Socially Conscious Businesses: Choose to buy from enterprises like Big River Bakery that focus on creating high-quality, healthy, and environmentally friendly products while giving back to the community.

Experience the Power of Baking: Attend or host a bread-making workshop in your community to experience its therapeutic and social benefits. Big River Bakery’s workshops have proven to bring people together and foster creativity—why not give it a try?

You can find out more here Bakery Courses

Invest in Your Community’s Growth: Whether through direct purchases, donations, or partnerships, support initiatives that aim to transform local challenges into opportunities, just as Big River Bakery turned humble beginnings into a thriving social enterprise.

If you enjoyed this podcast episode you can donate to Big River Bakery Community Projects here Donate

You can find out more about Big River Bakery here