Vacherin has capped off a landmark year in its partnership with the Luminary Charity and Luminary Bakery by conquering the Three Peaks Challenge.
40 team members from the sites and offices of London’s specialist caterer successfully scaled the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours and raised an incredible £32,500 for the charity and social enterprise.
The expedition provided the inspiring finale to what’s been a special year celebrating the ten-year anniversary of Vacherin’s collaboration with Luminary. The money raised will directly support Luminary’s work in helping London’s most disadvantaged women – including those who have experienced homelessness, domestic abuse, violence or sexual exploitation, to rebuild their lives with training, employment and community support.
Over the past decade, Vacherin has provided holistic support to the charity and bakery through the sale of its handcrafted baked goods in selected sites, dedicated fundraising activities, and by providing work placements and mentoring as part of Luminary Charity’s training and employment programme.
The milestone year has also seen the launch of the bakery’s central production kitchen – co-funded by Vacherin and its sister brand Company of Cooks – which has expanded Luminary Bakery’s capacity and impact and significantly increased its income. The new facility has enabled Luminary Bakery’s delicious bakes to be served in more Vacherin sites, as well as Company of Cooks’ venues.
Aoine Wilson, Interim CEO, Luminary Charity, said: “A very special thank you to Vacherin. This year marks a decade of our partnership. Not only do they support us financially – their funding helped develop our beautiful training space – but through many other ways including mentoring and providing invaluable work opportunities. This year, they’ve gone above and beyond by organising a series of incredible fundraising events in support of the Luminary Charity and Luminary Bakery – including a wonderful dinner at the Southbank Centre in May to the awe-inspiring Three Peaks Challenge in October. Their dedication has been nothing short of extraordinary. We truly cannot thank them enough for this remarkable partnership.”
Leila Siassi, Managing Director, Luminary Bakery, added: “Thanks to the support of Vacherin and Company of Cooks we have opened a brand-new production kitchen – a space that allows us to increase capacity, take on more apprentices and serve even more customers across London. More recently we invested in a new electric vehicle to deliver our goods sustainably, reinforcing our commitment to the planet as well as to people.”
Phil Roker, Vacherin’s Managing Director, said: “It’s been a privilege to work with Luminary Bakery and the Luminary Charity for the past ten years. Through the wonderful art of baking, they are making a real difference. Their important work gives a safe space, opportunity and hope to women across the capital, at a time when they need it most. Everyone at Vacherin is incredibly proud to be part of the Luminary community and the team wholeheartedly embraced the call to make this milestone year in our partnership one to remember.
“All our fundraising activities represent a powerful celebration of purpose and teamwork for our people, and I’ve been blown away by their commitment and enthusiasm. This year’s programme has also given positively back to our team. We’ve benefitted from the sense of connection created from working towards a common cause, and the Three Peaks challenge, for example, brought people together, forged new friendships and boosted wellbeing.
“I want to thank everyone that has contributed to our extraordinary year of celebration and fundraising – from the Vacherin team members that took part to those that generously supported our efforts. Our relationship with Luminary is embedded in Vacherin’s culture, and we look forward to evolving our partnership and impact over the next decade.”
