The Real Bread Campaign (RBC), a pioneering initiative co-founded by baker Andrew Whitley in 2008, has unveiled its latest assembly of ambassadors. 14 baking enthusiasts, who include business founders and baking class instructors, have been given the task of promoting not only real bread but also the beliefs, values, and work embodied by the charity. RBC is renowned for its advocacy for bread created without additives and for organizing the annual Sourdough September event to advocate authentic sourdough bread.
Talking about some individuals involved, Rebecca Bishop stands out as a self-trained baker, food author, and teacher who manages The Next Loaf baking school from her home in Suffolk. She is also known as the founder of Two Magpies Bakery.
On the other hand, Giovanni di Sarno, another ambassador, delivers baking classes for people of all abilities across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and London. His workshops include Bread & Health, in which he coaches wholemeal, rye, and barley bread making.
Another unique personality, the director of Loaf Bakery & Cookery School in Stirchley, south Birmingham, is Neil Holland. His zeal for teaching breadmaking and sharing the knowledge is unignorable. Equally passionate about bread is Hannah Frost, head baker at Pump Street Bakery in Orford, Suffolk. She believes in celebrating local ingredients and facilitating discussions about how food production can become more accessible, affordable, and environmentally friendly.
Another ambassador worth mentioning is Marcia Harris, founder of The Flour Union, an organization focused on delivering inspiring family-oriented workshops on baking. Dedicated to educating families on baking fundamentals, she has a dual role as a primary school child and family support practitioner. Rom Jedlovec, founder and lead baker at Flour & Spoon artisan bakery in Essex, also stands out as he conducts sourdough baking classes in his bakeries.
Frances Logan, the secretary of Slow Food Glasgow, says for her, “Real Bread is a key building block of a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system.”. Another extraordinary ambassador, Chilean-born pastry chef, baker, and food grower, Camila Marcias, has thought-provoking views about Latin American food systems and her negligible carbon footprint dessert journey.
Paul Raddan launched a micro-bakery in 2013 called Rugby Real Bread and has since been spreading his passion for baking far and wide. He firmly believes in making baking a fun activity. On the other hand, Eddy Sleiman’s bakery journey started during lockdown. Founding Ed Baker in Hither Green, London, Sleiman is also self-taught. The founder of Yorkshire Organic Millers, Nelly Trevelyan, and her husband Philip Trevelyan are also noteworthy, as they produce around 350 tons of flour a year from grain grown on their farm.
Lastly, Liz Wilson, who has been operating the Ma Baker micro-bakery and bread school for almost a decade in Wrexham, asserts, “I’m in the business of making people happy, myself as well as others,”. Last, but certainly not least, Boudicca Woodland runs the One Mile Bakery Exeter, a micro-bakery delivering artisanal bread, soups, and preserves to people within a one-mile radius. She stands out for advocating the therapeutic benefits of baking, emphasizing its positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.
In essence, each of the 14 ambassadors has a unique tale in the world of baking, making them a fitting representation of the Real Bread Campaign’s mission, values, and work. They emphasize the potential for artisan bread to inspire healthier eating habits, foster community connection, and showcase the joy of creating real, additive-free bread.
