Our Parter Charity: The Luminary Bakery

There is a wonderful synergy between cosy and comforting cinnamon buns and our beautiful pyjamas but the work that the Luminary Bakery does is much more significant than creating delicious treats - although you definitely need to try one!

When I first founded Sian Esther it was vitally important to me that I would create a brand that was purpose driven and one which would play a small part in helping others. I had previously been working at the John Lewis Head Office in Victoria and was shocked by the number of women there were on the streets.  I had tragically lost my parents  and was in the midst of grief but many women go through much much worse and without a support network to get them through. 

The Luminary Bakery is supporting the growing need to support disadvantaged women who have gone through a multitude of challenges. 

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) described Violence Against Women as “devastatingly pervasive” - 1 in 3 women globally experience gender-based violence

• And in 2021 the number of police recorded domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales rose 6% to 845,734.

• In 2021, women reporting sexual offences to the police were the highest on record, at 170,973 offences. This is a 12% increase from the same period in 2020.

• 37% of reported sexual offences in 2022, were rape. These survivors require interventions like Luminary to rebuild their lives

The demographics of the women who Luminary supported in 2021:

17% care leavers

25% have been involved in the criminal justice system

70% have experienced homelessness

97% have experienced gender based violence

The Luminary Bakery programme is a 2 year programme where women are taught to bake but are also taught key transferable life skills and employability skills. Following the programme the women then have 1-1 support with a progression support worker and can take part in work experience, apply for a paid position at The Luminary Bakery or with other partner organisations.

So far we have been able to support Luminary by paying the cost of putting a woman through the full training programme, as well as supporting 2 women with the ingredients needed for the full two year programme. We have paid for a graduate’s month of progression support costs. This Christmas we gifted 24 pairs of pyjamas to the trainees to help keep them warm at night as energy costs rise.

You can read more about The Luminary Bakery Here