Luminary Bakery

A Snapshot of our Work in 2025

100

women worked with over all four phases of the charity’s programme

35

mums supported with 61 children who indirectly benefitted from our work

76%

of women were in Employment, Education, Volunteering or Training aftercompleting the Luminary charity’s two year programme

41

certificates awarded in Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering level 2

166

training days delivered

3,744

hours of 1:1 support delivered by our Progression Support Workers

11

Well-being Wednesday workshops hosted at Luminary Charity

104

mentoring meetings held with our volunteer mentors

20

women worked with our inhouse therapist

892

hours of apprenticeships with Luminary Bakery and an additional 720 hours withone of our corporate partners

4

staff posts at the Luminary charity and 3 staff posts at Luminary Bakery filled by graduates

Of the women joining our programme this year...

98%

have experienced gender-based violence

79%

have experienced domestic abuse

50%

have experienced homelessness

60%

have experienced three or more barriers to employment

The Outcome of our Work

76%

of women completing the two year programme were in Employment, Education,Volunteering or Training

80%

of women who completed the two year programme reached independence

42

Women started the second stage of the programme and 30 completed it. This is acompletion rate of 71%

100%

Graduates were matched with a Luminary mentor. 74% met their mentor five times or more.

Violet’s Story

I live in a refuge. When I say refuge, people often think it's a place for refugees or asylum seekers. But it's a safe place for women. I fled violence. From the refuge I was referred to Luminary. My caseworker referred me here while chatting with her, she just discovered that I am interested in baking. To be very honest, before joining Luminary, I didn't know what to quite expect. I live with PTSD, anxiety and depression, so I was at a place where I was defined by my PTSD anxiety and depression, and I was at a place of fear.

Camden is the first place I traveled out of my borough. For eight to nine months, I used to live in my room. I didn't go out. I would go once a week just to buy groceries because I was so scared. Plus my panic and triggers, I was scared that I won't be able to secure a place at Luminary.

I came for the interview with Jess and Grace. Grace called me to say I had a place. She explained that my support worker will get in touch with all the details. And I was really happy, but it was a very, very big struggle for me to get out of my borough. I don't travel much by train, so I used to take the bus for two hours, and I would come here, because my ex used to travel by train, so I'm so scared that I would see him.

And so when I entered Luminary, I thought I'll be removed from the course, because I probably don't fit here. But walking into Luminary was like walking into a space where kindness is a default setting. People were like, so kind, and that gave me confidence.

*Name changed to protect the privacy and safety of the women we support.

Read the rest of her story on page 34 of the impact report

Past Impact Reports

Available to download

Get in touch

Literature Review

Luminary’s Literature Review was undertaken to ensure that our mission and approach are responding to a genuine, documented need and are informed by the recommendations of existing research. It involved extensive reading and analysis around the theme of unemployment among women, particularly survivors of gender-based violence.

We read a wide variety of research but attempted to base this piece of work in our ‘home town’ of North East London where Luminary’s work is rooted. We discuss the key barriers to employability for women who have survived gender-based violence and note recommendations for our model, many of which have already been implemented.

Learn More

Your cart is empty