On Sunday 9th May 2021, the Ladies of London, a Dawoodi Bohra women’s empowerment group, collaborated with local community bakers to raise £1,400 for children’s charity Variety. Variety provides practical help to over 1.3 million disabled children and nearly 4 million children living in poverty.
Volunteer bakers contributed goodies to an “Eid Treat box” that included brownies, cookies, cakes, homemade chocolate, coffee, cheesecakes and more! Ladies of London members assembled and distributed the Eid Treat gift boxes through a COVID compliant pick-up scheme from Mohammedi Park Complex in Northolt.
His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, was a big supporter of Variety for over 8 decades. Responding to our donation the charity said: “Your generous donation of £1,405.00 will make such a huge difference to young lives throughout the UK. Some of the ways we do this include providing;
- Wheelchairs and mobility equipment
- Sunshine Coaches for schools and organisations
- Vital in-home medical equipment
- A memorable experience through our Great Days Out programme”
Dawoodi Bohras are encouraged to be business minded and entrepreneurial. The bakers who donated their time, skill, and effort to participate in this charitable event share a few pointers and lessons learned about starting their own business
Get to know a few of the participating bakers below:
A research assistant by profession and a baker by choice, Fatema loves making all sorts of cookies and cakes. She loves to bake at night or super early in the morning! In order to be successful in this industry, Fatema believes the most important thing to do is “make your business stand out by being different.”
Nisreen is a full-time medical student and a part time baker who loves making brownies! Nisreen firmly believes that “any talent can be turned into a business.” Her advice to anyone starting out is “owning a small business can get overwhelming sometimes – especially if it’s not the only thing you’re invested in – but just taking a step back and remembering how much you love what you do really helps to put things back into perspective.”
Fairly new to the baking world, Yasmin specialises in tray cakes that are easy to cut and share with friends and family. A property manager by day and baker by evening, Yasmin vouches that organisation is key! Having a full-time job shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a side business: just try, “you never know what you could achieve!”
With over nine years of experience in the baking business, Fatema is best known for her decorated bespoke cakes. Baking on the side of running an administration business is challenging but Fatema slots all of her work and blocks out hours in her day for projects. Her advice to new bakers: “allow your passion and personality to reflect in your business and just enjoy all the challenges it brings you.”
Fareeda, a mother of three and an experienced primary school teacher, recently started Ama’s Treats, a home baking business that specialises in themed birthday cakes and date squares. She believes the key to success lies in being organised and advises anyone who is thinking of starting a business of their own to “believe in yourself and do what you love!”
Alifyah loves making all sorts of cakes and cupcakes. Her “biggest support and priority are family.” Her family helps her to organise the baking business around their lives which is what makes it so successful.
Fatema has a zero-waste policy when it comes to baking – this means she only bakes when an order has been placed. The proceeds from her baking/cooking efforts contribute to community upliftment efforts. As an established baker, Fatema advises that having faith and being determined will help you achieve your goals.
Being a mother of two and a natural night owl have inspired Jamila to create her new chocolate business. Her most popular items include a ruby pistachio chocolate bar, spiced jam and ruby chocolate & passionfruit bonbon. She firmly believes that perseverance is the key to a successful business. You must tread on to know what awaits around the corner!
As a dental student, Sarrah is no stranger to late nights, early mornings, and effective time management. She recently started her baking business, and enjoys customising cupcakes for her customers. She uses her baking business as a way to de-stress and take a break from the pressures of university. She advises those who may be thinking about starting their own business, that you’ll never know until you start, so just go for it!