A FORMER royal household staff member has officially joined the team at a community bakery in Southampton this month (January 2022).
Ally Molyneaux, who worked at Kensington Palace, has been appointed Front of House Assistant at CommuniBakes on St James Road, Shirley, which is the commercial arm of the charity Communicare.
CommuniBakes’ Director, Tim Miller says: “We’re delighted to welcome Ally to the team. She brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise and her appointment has already enabled us to extend our opening hours to help serve the community better. We’re now open every day except Sunday and Monday.
“When she left college, Ally saved up and went to a Cordon Bleu accredited cookery school, where she achieved a Diploma. She then went straight into private cooking and even had a job working for the Royal family at Kensington Palace.”
Ally, who lived in Southampton in her younger years and moved back to the area from Texas last summer, will be serving customers and organising the front counter, taking orders and answering the phone.
She will also be assisting with baking, helping with the washing up and keeping the bakery clean and tidy.
Ally says: “CommuniBakes is a really special place. It offers residents a community hub while selling bread and cakes and is also raising money to help fund Communicare’s vital work to eradicate loneliness in our city.
“It is an amazing thing to be able to support a fantastic charity just by purchasing your weekly bread, a hot sausage roll for lunch or some scrumptious sweet treats. Communicare has such an important role in our community, providing real support for those who need it most.
“It’s great working in the bakery! I love the CommuniBakes’ peppermint slices – they remind me so much of the peppermint creams we used to eat when I was a child, but with lots of extra chocolate! I also enjoy a classic baguette with a crunchy crust – perfect with a bowl of soup or homemade garlic bread. Our fresh sourdough, which is new, is one of my faves too.”
Communicare, which is a friendly, neighbourhood charity, provides services that enrich the lives of lonely and isolated people in and around Southampton. Its services are staffed by its committed, kind-hearted volunteers, known as Communiteers, who give their time freely.
Communicare’s Good Neighbours’ Network currently supports more than 560 individuals/families through tasks including one-to-one telephone befriending, transport for essential appointments and assistance with shopping.
The services Communicare provides are free to users, although beneficiaries are invited to make a donation if they are able to, and Communiteers are offered expenses.
Anyone interested in finding out more about CommuniBakes, which is at 21, St James Road in Shirley, is invited to visit its website communibakes.co.uk or to call 023 8070 1888.
