Prue Leith celebrates 'wonderful' charity bakery

The Life-Changing Bakery will train adults with learning disabilities in catering skills

Great British Bake Off presenter Prue Leith has praised a new bakery helping adults with learning disabilities get into work.

Life-Changing Bakery, run by Oxfordshire charity Yellow Submarine, was opened by Dame Prue in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday night.

The outlet, on the outskirts of Witney, will supply an existing café in the town and another in central Oxford, both staffed by trainees.

They provide an outlet for participants to learn catering skills, gain qualifications, and get a gradual introduction to employment.

Jack Howard has trained with the charity for a year and said it has boosted his confidence

"I feel quite emotional about this, because running a charity is hell - it's really difficult," Dame Prue said in a speech at the event.

"So to make a success of it as you have over the years is astonishing and wonderful."

"It's going really well," said trainee Jack Howard, who has just finished his first year working with the charity.

"It makes a huge difference because when I was first a trainee I would never talk to strangers, but now I've got used to it I'm more confident about doing that kind of stuff."

Trainee-made goods will be sent from the bakery to Yellow Submarine's cafes

Yellow Submarine opened its first café in 2013 with a mission to raise the proportion of adults with learning disabilities in paid employment.

At the moment, it says, that figure is only 5%.

The charity also runs days out and life skills workshops, and in 2022 was awarded High Street Shop of the Year in the Independent Awards.

"It's not just about learning to get a job, though they do that brilliantly," Dame Prue said.

"But on the way they learn to make friends, they get confidence, and everybody's having a good time.

"You can tell by talking to the trainees that they love it here."