Aidan Monks of Lovingly Artisan, Kendal has been crowned Runner Up for the North West’s Bread Hero by the Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food.
Aidan, a sourdough stalwart of the bread industry, was recognised for his incredible efforts over his 30 years of baking to place nutritional bread at the hub of every family home.
Aidan provides bread for the pensioners’ ‘Lunch Brunch’ held at The People’s Cafe, Kendal. This cafe is one of two projects delivered through ‘Waste into Wellbeing’, part of South Lakes Action on Climate Change. The Lunch Brunch provides pensioners with an opportunity to gather with friends and make new friends whilst eating a wholesome meal. Aidan gives the pensioners a goodie bag of his bread too.
He also assists the second project, ‘Food Shares’, by providing them with bread too. These shares, which are run by a group of volunteers who work hard to collect, sort and store food ready to share, provide local residents with two weekly larder-style food shares at Stricklandgate House and Hallgarth Community Centre.
Aidan is also passionate about education. During lockdown he established the ‘Lovingly Artisan Virtual Baking Club’ on Facebook to support others in sourdough baking. As part of the group, Aiden shares recipes, tips, guidance and motivation. To date, the club has over 1000 members.
In normal times, the Tiptree World Bread Awards celebrate the bread; loaves from around the country would be delivered for assessment by a panel of esteemed judges. Building on the great success of last year, the Awards once again celebrated the UK’s Bread Heroes – the people behind the loaves: from farmers and millers, to bakers and educators.
Hundreds of nominations were sent in from across the UK. ‘All the nominees in this year’s Awards truly deserve recognition for their generous, considerate and often altruistic initiatives to help others.’ said Stephen Hallam, Chairman of the Judges.
13 regional winners were selected by the judging panel. In addition to the regional winners, there were a selection of special awards: Brook Food Dream Team Award, KitchenAid Home Baker Hero, Shipton Mill Real Bread Hero, Tiptree Outstanding Achievement Award, Wright’s Flour Award for Innovation, Zeelandia Award for Sustainability.
One of the judges, Britt Box, She Who Bakes, said, ‘It has been another strange year and it is so lovely to read stories of the bread heroes who have carried on, diversified, given back and risen to the challenge (pun intended!). They are all an absolute credit to their communities.’
An exhibition of portraits by photographer Henry Kenyon of the Bread Heroes will be touring the UK.
