The National Bakery Awards took place on Wednesday 25th September. The Worshipful Company of Bakers was represented by Court Assistant Sara Autton.
Sylvia Macdonald: Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry
We are delighted that our Honorary Archivist, Sylvia Macdonald, was celebrated at the National Bakery Awards in London. She was presented with the award for Outstanding Contribution to the industry in recognition of her long career in publishing and, since her retirement, her continuing support through her voluntary work with the Bakers’ Livery and the British Society of Baking.
Sylvia has been an inspiration to so many bakers through the years and has long been respected for her journalistic integrity and passion for the baking industry in general.
We congratulate Sylvia for this honour which is so richly deserved.
Shannon Lake: Young Baker Award 2025 for the Worshipful Company of Bakers.
We at the Worshipful Company of Bakers have been watching Shannon’s progress with very keen interest over the past few years, and we have been very impressed with her level of passion and commitment to her craft. Shannon has joined two of our courses; and it has been a joy to see how her confidence has developed in company with other talented bakers.
It has been a pleasure to see how Shannon’s dedication to the improvement of her knowledge and skills has paid off; more than justifying our investment in her talent. We are also thrilled that her enthusiasm for baking is so very evident in her social media posts; and we are confident that Shannon will continue to be a sound ambassador for baking as an engaging, satisfying and worthwhile professional career of choice.
We are delighted to present the National Bakery Award’s 2025 Young Baker of the Year title to Shannon Lake, of Bread Source in Norwich; and we look forward to seeing how her career progresses in the future.
Past Master Christopher Freeman also had the honour of presenting a further award...
A social enterprise bakery that has carved out a niche, not only just as a place for delicious baked goods but as a beacon of social change.
Dedicated to much more than producing mouth-watering bread and pastries, it aims to empower the local community, create jobs and foster a sense of inclusivity and support.
Born out of dream to combine a love of baking with a commitment to social impact, the core of this bakery’s operations is its social mission, employing individuals who have faced barriers to employment, including those with disabilities, long-term unemployed, and refugees.
By providing meaningful employment and skills training, they help these individuals build confidence, gain independence, and contribute to the local economy.
I am, therefore, pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s Social Enterprise Bakery of the Year is…
… Big River Bakery