Luminary Bakery
“When you enter that door you will experience love, kindnesses and respect. You will never be the same. If you are broke they will glue all your pieces back in a way that won’t be broken again. Luminary will give hope. They will give you strength.”
What is it: Cinnamon Swirls. Carrot Cake. Vegan choc chip cookies. Lattes from New Ground. And behind it all an award-winning social enterprise offering socially and economically disadvantaged women a better future.
What you need to know: A bakery with an impact, and some serious fangirls. Founded by Alice Williams as a baking course in 2014 in a Bethnal Green Church for the women in her community severely impacted by poverty and violence, Luminary Bakery has now grown to two London café bakeries (in Stoke Newington and Camden) and an endorsement from Meghan Markle in her guest editorship of Vogue. Over the intervening years, and still very much today, Luminary’s courses, support programs, work experience, community infrastructure, and employment have provided both a safe space and a second chance to women in London who are in situations of “multiple disadvantages”, such as gender-based violence (domestic abuse, prostitution, sexual exploitation, human trafficking and honor-based violence) and experiences of homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse and the criminal justice system.
What they offer (online and off): If you live locally, make it your go-to café. Further away, support their work through donations to campaigns such as #shareherfare — reallocating the money you may be saving not commuting towards the cost of travel for their trainees. Or buy one of their cute aprons, tote bags and the Rising Hope cookbook which includes recipes and inspirational stories from the courses. A favourite idea is to order Letterbox Brownies delivered to a friend’s door (only UK for now). Or if you want to get even more involved, offer your skills to become a mentor or volunteer.
Why we think it’s special: The things that build our days, the tiny rituals like ordering a coffee, can build the lives of others. That’s from who gets to be employed as baristas and bakers, to sourcing ethically, to being a vital contributor to a local community. Luminary works on all those levels going beyond the café/bakery model to transforming the lives of the people in the neighborhoods that it serves. Our daily rituals can make a difference in our communities – that daily coffee, even those special occasion orders (wedding cake anyone) – can benefit others in ways that Williams has already imagined for you.
In founder Alice Williams’ words: “Meeting women experiencing extreme poverty, disadvantage, and violence was the inspiration for starting Luminary. Too often, violence and trauma isolate us from community, when that is the very thing we need most. Every woman has shown immense courage to survive her circumstances alone, but it is only when others embrace her that she can really start to fulfill her potential. Luminary is more than a bakery; it is a community and a sign of hope for so many.”
One piece of advice to do where you are: Ok we have two: One is general: Think about how you can ‘foster a culture of second chances’ in your own world. And two, much more specific: seek out their densely packed Resource Packs on Self-Care or Safety Planning for when home doesn’t feel safe or dealing with the impacts of the pandemic as a mum.
To find out more: Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter
If you’ve visited Luminary Bakery, or you have other businesses with a purpose that you’d recommend, tell us about it at hello@ifloststarthere.com.
