A bakery is to be set up by a charity for adults with learning difficulties, in the hope to help workers gain valuable skills.
Pontefract Family Centre, West Yorkshire is setting up the scheme after receiving over £5,000 in funding from a grants programme.
The Coalfields Community Grant and Barclays bank has funded the bakery, which hopes to help people with learning difficulties gain experience in the workplace.
The centre will be supported by a professional baker and assistants, and the bakery will sell its range in Pontefract market on Wednesday and Saturday under the brand name Real Bread Company.
Simon North, support worker at the centre said: “We are hoping it will help the attendees of the centre learn new skills like customer interaction, bakery, health and safety. A lot of them have a hard time finding work so this scheme should give people the experience they deserve.
“We aim to help our attendees become more independent, and get them out into the community, so this is a great way to do that.”
John Hughes, chairman of the centre said: “The first step is to get the artisan bakery up and running to encourage people to come along and taste our delicious products.
“There will be everything from freshly baked breads, to cakes, scones and pastries, which we will be selling at the market.
“We will then move on to plans which include the opening of a cafe, again to be staffed by those attending the centre.
“We have very exciting and ambitious plans for the centre and can’t wait to get to start.”
Profits raised from the new cafe would be used to fund the charity, which at the moment relies on government funding and charitable donations.
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