News

Partnership with Luminary Charity and Bakery

We are excited to announce a new partnership with social enterprise Luminary Bakery and its sister charity, Luminary Limited.

Luminary's charity

Luminary’s charity runs a two-year employability programme, including six months of initial baking training, for women who have experienced disadvantage and gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, or trafficking, and may have no prior employment experience.

While some trainees may become bakers, the primary goal of the charity is to prepare women for broader employment opportunities, with the Bakery providing placements that help trainees transition into work.

Work placements and training

As part of this collaboration, we will offer Luminary trainees work placements across its sites over a four-week period. As part of Luminary’s existing programme, trainees also complete a work experience day at Luminary and can apply to join Luminary’s café or bakery apprenticeship programme.

The company will also provide Luminary trainees with training through its Perkee Coffee Academy. This will include barista skills training tailored to each trainee’s location to support their skill development.

Training begins with a foundation course covering ‘bean to cup’ knowledge and basic coffee-making skills. Trainees will then move on to mastering milk frothing, pouring milk drinks, and creating latte art.

Those interested in further development will have the opportunity to undertake two additional days of Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) aligned intermediate skills training.

“It’s collaborations like these that enable Luminary to create lasting change in the lives of women who need it most, and we’re incredibly excited about the impact this will have”
Leila Siassi, Managing Director, Luminary Bakery

Employment opportunities

BM Caterers aims to offer long-term employment opportunities for Luminary graduates and is also considering offering future classes on coffee roasting.

Luminary Bakery products

As part of this partnership, BM will also feature Luminary Bakery products in several of its coffee shops. Already, two client sites have started selling Luminary’s pastries, cakes, and bakes, leading to a 327% increase in weekly sales, a 59% boost in the number of pastries sold, and a 105% rise in average pastry spend.

Additional client sites are planned, and to meet this growing demand, Luminary Bakery has hired new staff and is preparing to scale up its operations further. This expansion includes the opening of a new kitchen, which will allow the bakery to handle the increase in orders more efficiently.

Delivering impact for women

Angus Brydon, managing director, BM Caterers, said: “We are delighted to partner with Luminary. The work they do is truly inspiring, providing incredible opportunities to women in challenging circumstances.”

Adrian Steenkamp, coffee brand manager, BM Caterers, added: “What makes this collaboration so special is that it will be led by Monika , an experienced trainer with extensive expertise. She will spearhead this women-centred programme and ensure its success.

“The milk frothing aspect of the training is key. I’ve seen for myself how empowering it can be for trainees as they become more confident in pouring milk drinks and creating latte art. They feel proud of the drink they’ve made and I love seeing the joy it brings once they know how to serve a basic latte art image. I’m really looking forward to this partnership and being able to share our expertise and skills with Luminary’s graduates .”

“The upcoming work experience placements hosted by BM Caterers will be of huge value to our trainees and graduates. Experiencing the world of work in a professional and supportive environment builds confidence and can be a vital step on a trainee’s pathway to paid employment.”
Rosie Oglesby, CEO, Luminary Charity