Horsham bakery run by youngsters with special needs set to open new Thakeham kitchen

JubyLee Bakes is hoping to expand its operations and encourage more young people to get involved with help of the permanent kitchen – which has facilities to accommodate up to ten people and will include baking facilities, dedicated work stations, two ovens and a packaging and delivery operation.

The bakery, which this year became a registered charity, will also seek to recruit more young people, largely through its close links with local schools and colleges.

Simon Tomlinson, bakery trainee at JubyLee Bakes said: “As a group of young adults with special needs we have taken the initiative to create our own business.

“Our work makes us smile and we hope our bakes will make you smile too. We aim to make awesome tasting bakes that will make people happy. Our packaging is funky and bright. We want to inspire other adults like us.”

JubyLee Bakes, who produce ‘Special Bakes by Special People’, started in 2016 when the aspiring entrepreneurs won the 2016 Young Start-Up Talent Gatwick Diamond Competition.

The charity was started to enable young people with learning disabilities – many of whom also have autism – to gain work experience and training in a bakery setting.

Since then the charity has gone from strength-to-strength and already boasts the likes of Norwegian Airlines Gatwick Office, HSBC Gatwick, DOCEX 360 Horsham, Crates Local Horsham, Cafe Revive Crawley and Collyer’s College Horsham, amongst their customers.

The new kitchen became possible after the charity won £50,000 in the Big Lottery Community Fund’s People’s Projects competition in April last year – with the greatest number of votes of all the projects in the UK.

Legal support to secure the new premises has also been provided for free by regional law firm, Rix & Kay who continue to support JubyLee Bakes along its journey.

David Ashton, partner at law firm Rix & Kay said: “It’s been a privilege to be involved in such an inspiring project and to help JubyLee Bakes realise their dream of operating their very own kitchen.

“They look set to go on to do bigger and better things and will be a hugely important part of the local community.”

JubyLee Bakes’ new kitchen is anticipated to open later in 2020, when there will be a launch event at the new premises.

For more information. visit www.jubyleebakes.org.uk

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