Making bread in lockdown - 7th April 2021

London resident Sophia Sutton-Jones has always enjoyed baking. During the coronavirus lockdown, she baked some bread for a neighbour. Soon, her bread became popular with her other neighbours.

Sophia: I've always baked bread and it's part of my childhood, part of my life. And so, I just baked a bread for a neighbour and saw what, what was going to happen. And that neighbour then recommended me to other neighbours and very quickly within a couple of weeks, we had a queue in front of our house for bread."

Sophia uses the sourdough method to make her bread. Many people think sourdough bread is healthier than other bread.

Soon, Sophia needed a bigger space to make her bread. Her home was too small.

Sophia: "There was definitely a need locally for good sourdough bread and we very quickly jumped into buying a mixer and a fridge and a table and kitted out the entire dining room, our bedroom, our guest room was the storage for flour. And only a few months later did we say we need a proper space.”

Sophia decided to set up her own bakery. First, she needed a shop and a better place to bake. She went online to ask for money for her business. She received enough money to open her shop, 'Sourdough Sophia'.

Lots of people come to her shop to buy her creations. She sells croissants and cakes as well as her famous sourdough bread.

Sophia has to work long hours in her shop. But she loves her new job.

Sophia: “I don't mind it because it's worth it. It, you can, when you see that customer coming in with that smile on her face telling me how amazing it was what I've made, I just, it, it makes it all worth it. It doesn't matter how long I've worked and how much I've done."