A CHARITY dedicated to eradicating loneliness in Southampton is launching a commercial strand and is in the final stages of purchasing a community bakery backed by a Crowdfunding appeal (May 2021).
Communicare plans to start the new venture on St James Road in Shirley under the name Communibakes to help fund its ongoing work in the city.
The charity’s Manager, Annie Clewlow says: “We know our Communiteers and service users love cakes and enjoy all things bread related. Our bakery promises to be a real community hub. A place where we can share the joy of the products we’ll make while helping to beat loneliness by being there and open for people to come in for a socially-distanced chat, as well as a loaf of bread and a cake or two! It will be run as a community-based bakery supported by both current bakery staff and Communibakes volunteers. Until the new business is open the Communicare team is also helping get the venture off the ground.
“We’ve launched a Crowdfunding campaign today (May 7) and are hoping to raise a seed fund of £5,000 to get the bakery up and running in May. We’ve set up a limited company for the business and will be looking to run the bakery as a commercial venture to help support our charity’s work to provide services that enrich the lives of lonely and isolated people in and around Southampton.
“We very much welcome cash donations, but also expertise from members of the community and collaborations with colleges that have students doing bakery courses and customer service training, who we may be able offer placements to. We’re hoping with our Crowdfunding appeal to find at least 500 people able to pledge £10 each, but if we can find more that would be even better.
“In return for their investment, people will receive a whole host of different benefits dependent on the level of funding they commit to. The person, or people, who pledge the highest amount overall will be able to rename one of our cakes too – this is limited to a maximum of three people though. They could name it after themselves or someone special, which would make a wonderful birthday or anniversary present, or give it a new name that they find amusing, as long as it’s in good taste of course!
“The money raised will go towards expanding our bakery’s offering to include: a quality hot drinks machine, a hot food counter, so that we can provide hot food throughout the day and other important upgrades such as a new floor. This will allow us to continue bringing the best service to our community, service users and Communiteers in a welcoming, comfortable and friendly environment.”
The Crowdfunding Communibakes’ rewards include:
- £10 – Communibakes Supporter
- £20 – Communibakes Friend – Communibear
- £20 – Communibakes Coffee Lover – Travel Mug
- £25 – Communibakes Football Fan – Communibear Football Fan
- £30 – Communibakes Coffee & Cake Fan – Travel Mug filled with a hot drink of your choice and a cake to enjoy with it
- £40 – Communibakes VIP Hero – Travel Mug or a Communibear and a one year VIP card (15% off all cakes, hot food and hot drinks)
- £60 – Communibakes VIP + Hero – Travel Mug or a Communibear and a one year VIP+ card which includes 15% off all cakes, hot food and hot drinks, and an additional free hot drink of your choice when you spend more than £2 on each visit
- £100 – Communibakes Legend – Travel Mug AND a Communibear with a two year VIP+ card and your name (or the name of someone else if a gift) on a plaque on our wall
- £250 – Communibakes Champion – the ultimate perk, which only three people can claim. With this unique opportunity you will receive all the items listed under the Legend status, plus the opportunity to rename a cake. Will you name the cake after yourself? After someone special for a birthday or anniversary surprise? Or give it a totally random name? Communibakes will publicly list and refer to the cake under your chosen name for two years!
Anyone interested in being a Communibakes’ VIP and joining in with the Crowdfunding appeal should click on this link https://igg.me/at/communibakes/x/26496205#/.
Communicare is a friendly, neighbourhood charity. Its services are staffed by its committed, kind-hearted Communiteers, who volunteer and give their time freely.
Annie adds: “They act as good neighbours, generously making regular befriending telephone calls, safely driving people to urgent medical appointments and doing shopping for those unable to leave home at the moment, as well as providing other practical and emotional support.”
The charity’s Good Neighbours’ Network is currently supporting more than 600 individuals/families through tasks including one-to-one telephone befriending and transport for essential appointments and assistance with shopping.
Normally Communicare’s services are linked to hosting face-to-face social events, such as regular lunches and tea parties for service users, but the charity, understandably, is unable to organise these at the moment due to ongoing Government restrictions on gatherings.
Currently more of Communicare’s work is done via the telephone, post and online.
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.
To find out more about Communicare and the bakery, please visit www.communicareinsouthampton.org.uk to help with the Crowdfunding campaign, click here https://igg.me/at/communibakes/x/26496205#/.
