Following our announcement last week about potential closure of the shop, and our plea to ‘use us or lose us’, we are extremely grateful and delighted to share that the local community have rallied round with support, including offers such as a feature on the local radio.
Daily Bread Co-op member Adam spoke to presenter Alan Alder for the Flavour programme on Cambridge 105 Radio on Saturday 20th May. They talk about the ins-and-outs of Daily Bread Co-op, and discuss the current issues and situation we find ourselves in.
If you would like to listen to the segment, you can find it here.
Announcement - potential closure of Daily Bread Co-operative Cambridge
An open letter announcing the difficulties we are currently facing.
Dear customers and friends,
As many of you know, we have been running as an independent co-operative wholefoods shop in King’s Hedges for over 30 years. This is the announcement we didn’t want to have to make, but sadly, we have no option. We are regrettably facing closure.
Unfortunately, due to unavoidable economic difficulties, we may need to close in the very near future unless there is a radical turnaround in customer shopping habits. We are asking our customers and community to please ‘use us or lose us’ and show support by shopping with us now and in coming months. Every single purchase counts. We hope that together we can keep our co-operative community healthy and thriving.
We have been unable to employ new staff to replace those that have left, thus we are operating at a reduced scale, and you may see the effects of this with, for example, more pre-packed products replacing those we pack, fewer staff around the shop, and slightly longer response times with communications.
Please be patient with us as we try our best.
Various economic crises have affected everyone financially, and we understand that people are having to adapt their shopping choices. If you wish to support us but are unable to due to this, we'd really appreciate it if you could spread the word about us by telling friends and family, posting reviews, and sharing on social media.
With gratitude,
The Daily Bread Co-op Team
April event: Macrame Plant Hanger Workshop at Daily Bread!
If you're looking for a creative and fun way to freshen up your home decor this spring, don't miss our upcoming macrame plant hanger workshop with Bebe and Ju Crafts!
Macrame is an ancient artform that involves knotting cords together to create beautiful and intricate designs. In this workshop, you'll learn the basic techniques of macrame and how to create your very own plant hanger in your choice of colour, that you can take home to display or give as a special handmade gift! Not only will you learn a new skill, but you'll also have a chance to meet like-minded people and enjoy a fun and relaxing morning.
Macrame plant hanger workshop - where and when:
Mark your calendars for the 26th April from 10am til 12pm and join us for a morning of creativity and fun! The macrame plant hanger workshop will take place in our cafe, which means refreshments and snacks are close at hand to purchase if you need a cuppa (and/or cake!)
Further info:
The workshop is suitable for beginners. All materials to make your plant hanger will be supplied, though please note that pots and plants are not included. The workshop duration is approximately 2 hours.
Booking:
There are 8 places available and tickets are £35 each, to be purchased in advance. You can purchase in advance at the till when visiting our shop, or alternatively send a booking request by emailing cambridge@dailybread.co.uk with the subject line: Macrame workshop booking. Please let us know your choice of yarn colour when booking. Choose from these lovely colours:
New to Daily Bread Co-operative? Here’s where to find us!
‘Love Your Local Supplier’ Month (part 3) with Wicken Windmill
We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves. This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.
We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!
LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With Wicken Windmill
In the third of our series of local supplier Q&As we speak with Dave Pearce from Wicken Windmill.
Back row: Elwyn, Dave, Pip and Rob. Front row: Graham and Dan. Absent from photo: Kelvin and Philip.
Tell us a bit about yourselves:
Our millers and millwrights give their time voluntarily to keep the 210 year old windmill in good order and hard at work.
Describe your business:
Wicken Mill is traditional Cambridgeshire windmill still at work making stone ground flour, from bread wheat, rye or spelt.
The Wicken Windmill Partnership concentrates on 2 things. We are millers, dedicated to producing good flour by the natural power of the wind, and at the same time obeying modern requirements. Also we are millwrights, carrying out all the engineering needs of our ancient technology – there are few people left with the skills needed to build, repair and maintain traditional windmills.
Before we could work the mill we had to restore it from ruin, with the help of volunteers from all over the country.
We don’t make much money, and the money we make goes towards future maintenance of the mill. But we enjoy it.
The mill from the north, looking towards Cambridge across the Fens.
Photograph: Dan Carrick, taken from a Newmarket Plant Hire cherry picker, during a recent sail check over.
What inspired you to choose this line of work?
As an engineer I liked to see the windmills in the landscape, and was sad to see the survivors disappearing.
Has the direction of your business changed over time?
Yes. Until 2001 the partnership was purely concerned with traditional mill engineering, particularly the restoration of Wicken Mill.
We remain busy with engineering, largely carried out from our workshops by the foot of the mill.
But equally we are concerned with the ancient art of corn grinding using millstones, which we have learned from scratch. We make 100% Wholemeal Flour, and convert some of it to Standard White and Finest White flours by sieving out the bran, the shell of the wheat seed. Only about 10% of British grown wheat is suitable for making bread flour. Currently we obtain most of our bread wheat from Copes Seeds of Sleaford.
Wicken Windmill flour at Daily Bread Co-operative
We are happy with our range of flours, but an ambition for one day is to source part of our supply from heritage wheats, of the sort which the windmill was built to grind in 1813, and extend our range to include ‘Wicken Heritage Flours’. Such ancient wheat varieties are scarce – but the ‘Old Burwell’ landrace wheat from our neighbouring parish was famous in the 19th century, and maybe someday will be available to grind again at Wicken Mill.
What challenges have you faced with the business?
Plenty! We decided from the start to make flour using only the power of the wind – no electric motors to drive the flour grinding machinery. We are one of relatively few traditional windmills which run purely by wind, some using electric drive when the wind is low.
In extended periods of light winds we might be becalmed for many days without being able to run the mill. We pay close attention to Met Office forecasts of wind resource, and when appropriate build up stocks of flour while the wind is strong.
The past year has been complicated for everybody. At the mill, grain prices have risen rapidly particularly due to the war in Ukraine affecting the world market, and also supplies of accessories needed for the business have become scarcer and more expensive. On the other hand we have been little affected by the general increase in energy costs – when the wind blows it is still free!
What's the most rewarding aspect to running the business?
The pleasure on the faces of returning customers, mixed with the surprise that many feel when driving through Wicken and coming upon a windmill still at work.
What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?
Not easy. There are sound economic reasons why traditional flour mills went out of fashion. Any proceeds we make go towards future repairs of the mill.
What's next for your business?
There are limits to flour production at the windmill – the wind blows sufficiently to drive the mill powerfully on about 10 to 12 days per month. With more volunteer millers we could perhaps increase flour output, partly by working the mill on more of the windy days, and also by running more machinery simultaneously: the windmill can be quite labour intensive.
Eventually major repairs will be needed again – for example we last replaced a sail in 2018. We must search out supplies of good timber, and also seek support for purchases of materials. We are determined that the windmill will not fall into ruin again, as it was back in 1971.
Photograph: Colin Mitchell, 1971.
Anything else you'd like to mention?
Visitors are welcome – the mill is open to the public the first full weekend of each month. At other times, we are open whenever the sails are turning.
Wicken Windmill pictured on April 5th, 2022.
If anybody would like to know more there is a new book ‘The Restoration of Wicken Mill’ which tells the story of the mill and its repair. The book is available from the windmill for £16, or £18.70 including post and packaging.
Thank you so much Dave and everyone at Wicken Windmill!
Connect with Wicken Windmill via:
Wicken Windmill Facebook page
Simple ways to support an independent local business:
shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.
shop local - keep local businesses IN business!
word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.
share their online posts or create your own for them to share.
write them a review/testimonial.
thank them and show your appreciation :)
‘Love Your Local Supplier’ Month (part 2) with Emily's Corner
We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves. This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.
We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!
LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With EMILY’S CORNER
In the second of our series of local supplier Q&As we speak with Emily of Emily’s Corner. We started stocking Emily’s hand-poured eco-friendly scented candles, wax melts, and reed diffusers last year.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I'm Emily, a candle maker from Cottenham. I live with my boyfriend Joe and cat Willow. I work full time for a commercial interior design company and whenever I am not working, I'm creating products in my kitchen!
Describe your business:
I make eco-friendly soy wax melts, candles and reed diffusers. All ingredients I use are eco-friendly and natural, sustainability is a huge passion of mine. No plastic is used and no nasty chemicals. Let's save the planet, one candle at a time!
What inspires you/your business?
A lot of my scent blends are inspired by nature. I love exploring and the outdoors so I try to bring the outside in with my products.
Why did you decide to start your business?
I've always been a creative person, studying art and fashion in college, and I wanted to do something for myself on the side of my full time job. A friend bought me a candle making kit for a birthday a few years ago and I started making gifts for family and friends. Now, a few years later I have a brand which has expanded and continues to grow! And who doesn't love a candle?!
Has the direction of your business changed over time?
I began only making and selling candles, then after lots of experimenting and testing I decided to delve into wax melts and reed diffusers! I love creating new products and growing my range however I aim to always keep Emily's Corner heavily based on home fragrance and handmade.
What challenges have you faced as a small business?
Balancing work, life and a small business is definitely tricky! Around busy periods (Christmas!) I struggle to think of anything but stock and keeping on top of orders. However, hearing lovely feedback from customers makes the hard work completely worth it.
What's the most rewarding aspect of running your own business?
I attend lots of local markets and I absolutely love speaking to and meeting customers. I get such a warm, fuzzy feeling when customers return to my stall and like my products. Also seeing return orders online and reading customer feedback is super rewarding!
What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?
Organisation! It's tricky keeping on top of everything sometimes and Excel spreadsheets are a saviour to being organised and running a small business. Also, run with your creativity!
What's next for your business?
I'd love to grow the business with more products, scents and gift options this year, so keep your eyes peeled!
Anything else you'd like to mention?
Thank you for all the local support on my journey so far. And a huuuuuge shout out to The Daily Bread for their amazing store!
Thank you so much Emily!
Connect with Emily via:
Instagram: instagram.com/emilyscorneruk
Website: Emily’s Corner
Simple ways to support an independent local business:
shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.
shop local - keep local businesses IN business!
word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.
share their online posts or create your own for them to share.
write them a review/testimonial.
thank them and show your appreciation :)
