Industry relations and young guns

10 July 2015
Addressing young
members of the CBA
Relaunch of the
Book of Breadmaking
Check out the right of
staff to work in the UK
Industry relations and young guns
During the past 12 months the Craft
Bakers’ Association (CBA) has been
very proactive engaging with sister
associations within the baking
industry. What I have found
encouraging is that we all strive for the
same objectives, to positively promote
the industry at every opportunity.
Two weeks ago I had the great
pleasure of attending the Alliance for
Bakery Students & Trainees (ABST)
annual conference and take part in the
seminars to engage with the students
from all over the UK, along with our
president David Smart.
Attendance was up by 30%, with
more than 350 attendees eager to learn
about what the baking industry could
offer as a career. Quite rightly our
president pointed out in his closing
speech that the future bakery owners,
managers and new product
development technologists were in the
room, who will keep the baking
industry moving forward.
The CBA also took the opportunity
to launch the long-awaited revised and
updated CBA Book of Breadmaking.
The book was last updated 19 years
The CBA table
at the ABST
conference.
Right: The Book
of Breadmaking
ago and will appeal to the bakery
student or apprentice, or even to the
most experienced craft or artisan
baker. It contains the A-Z knowledge of
bread-making. The CBA is indebted to
Jim Brown who has been heavily
involved in rewriting and updating the
book. To order a copy, please contact
Ware HQ on 01920 468061 or email on
[email protected].
Lastly, can I remind all craft bakers
that the time to sign up for Craft
Bakers’ Week 2015 is here. The dates
are 28 September to 3 October. The
abst conference
Celebrating talented youth
By David Smart
Have you ever been in a
conference hall and, no matter
where you looked, there was
seriously talented youth? The
type of talent that truly takes
your breath away, where you
mutter to yourself, ‘Oh My
God’ as you envied their
standard of skill within the
exhibition displays, and live
demonstrations. I was invited
to the Alliance of Bakery
Students and Trainees (ABST)
Conference on 19-21 June. I
have whined constantly about
the non-availability of trained
staff within the business – that
is, until I met more than 350
enthusiastic students and
lecturers from bakery colleges
from all over the UK. I met and
spoke with every single one of
them at the speed seminars on
Friday, which allowed me give
them an impression primarily
about our business, the
bakery trade and also the
Craft Bakers’ Association and
how we can help them with
their careers going forward. I
would, if I could, employ every
one of those students as they
would bring so much to our
business. Surely we, as a craft
trade, should welcome them
into our businesses, as they
are our future. Congratulations
to the ABST for all their
sterling work in encouraging
enthusiastic youth of and for
our trade.
charity benefiting from this week is the
Make A Wish Foundation, which grants
wishes to children aged between three
and 17 living with life-threatening
illnesses. They are hugely supportive
of bakers involved, so please consider
taking part in the ‘Love your Baker’
Craft Bakers Week 2015.
Mike
Holling,
Executive
Director
New and
returning
members
New members
●●Maddisons Bakery, Bexley
Heath, Kent
●●Easyrecruit, Glasgow
Returning members
●●Idris Café, Gwynedd, North
Wales
●●Smiths, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
www.craftbakersassociation.co.uk1
Bakers’Review
apprentice opportunity
Mentoring talent
The Craft Bakers’ Association (CBA)
has always welcomed new members
and, in the new section of our website,
we are able to help match apprentice
bakers with long-standing members
who have a wealth of experience.
James Bracken recently uploaded
his CV on to the apprentice section of
the CBA website. David Hall from
London Bread & Cake contacted James
and invited him to the LB&C bakery. He
gave James an insight into the running
of a large bakery organisation.
James’ feedback on how his visit
went was: “I really enjoyed the time I
spent with LB&C. Meeting the staff and
working alongside them gave me an
insight into what it is like to work in a
large and very busy bakery, learning
how things move behind the scenes, as
it preparedfor the run-up to Ascot.”
If you are a student or apprentice,
please visit the CBA website and
register your CV for £15 on www.
craftbakersassociation.co.uk
the industry’s future
Class of 2015, listen up!
For one brief moment, may I speak
directly to the trade’s youth – whether
they are this year’s students finishing
their first year or students graduating
after their final year? They may even
be graduates starting out in their
careers, hopefully within our industry.
You are this industry’s future.
Without you, there will be no
tomorrow, no businesses, no allied
trades supporting bakers, no technical
bakers developing the future of bakery
science, pushing the boundaries of
what we are capable of.
Who will push your boundaries into
the areas of your wildest dreams? Me?
Your lecturer? Sadly, nobody will,
unless you do it yourselves. Right now,
the world you live in and the job you
have just trained for is in a global
economy, not just a European or local
economy, and if you cannot speak a
foreign language, you are already
behind in the game. As we speak, bread
is being shipped in from poorer
countries, par-baked and then
refreshed in-store, currently devastating
the German bakery market, as well as
other European markets. Been into a
Lidl lately and seen all their refreshbake off breads on display? Let alone
Marks & Spencer and their bake-off
range. Ladies and gentlemen, game on!
By David Smart,
president of
the CBA
I say global, because we are a part of
the greater European community and
its employment regulations. Hundreds
of European bakers are coming over
here from their own market, knowing
we are paying better wages than in
their own country, and, let’s face it,
they are very good craftspeople.
We are also a part of the world
bakery scene, where food programmes
are broadcast on our TVs, be it Diners,
Drive-ins or Dives or the numerous
celebration cake programmes, such as
Cake Boss. These infiltrate our daily
lives and influence the minds of our
customers, who then want something
different, special or original.
At the Craft Bakers’ Association, we
will welcome and mentor you within
our member businesses, all 600 of
them, and find you internships, to give
you a head start in your career.
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of
2015, welcome to the bakery and
confectionery industry. Get involved,
make friends, travel constantly, be
open-minded, be different, work
diligently, share your knowledge and,
learn from others with grace. But, more
importantly, have fun, because if you
stay the course it’s one hell of a ride.
●●This blog previously appeared on
bakeryinfo.co.uk.
CBA young members
Are you a young member of the CBA?
Are you a member of the Craft Bakers’
Association (CBA) through your
employer, your family business or as a
student/apprentice studying the art of
craft baking? Would you like to
become more involved in the industry
and use to your advantage the benefits
the CBA offers? We are aware that the
younger members of the association
may not want to attend traditional
events for many reasons, such as:
a) Your parents attend
b) You don’t know anyone
c) Is it relevant to you at this stage in
your career?
To encourage the youth in our
industry, the CBA is planning a Young
Bakers event in Spring 2016, visiting
well-known bakery businesses in the
north west. This is being organised for
by Louise Reynard of Reynards (UK)
and will take place over two days.
2
The event will be based at the Hilton
Deansgate in Manchester. The
proposed format (which may change)
is as follows:
Day 1: Morning arrival at the Hilton
Deansgate, with a welcome meeting for
all delegates. Transport to the first of
the bakery visits to: Greenhalgh’s and
Waterfields. Return to The Hilton for
pre-dinner drinks in The Cloud Bar,
followed by an informal dinner in
Manchester, giving delegates the
opportunity to network.
Day 2: Breakfast, room check-out and
transport to: Betty’s Bakery, then
Slattery’s Patisserie. Return to the
Hilton Deansgate late afternoon for
onward travel home.
Dates and prices will be confirmed
early next year. But, in the meantime, if
you are interested, we would love to
hear from you.
Spotlight on CBA young members
Matthew Haynes: I’m the CBA student rep
and am studying Baking Technology
Management at the National Bakery School
in London South Bank University. I’m just
going into my final year. My previous baking
experiences have been a work placement at the London
Bread & Cake Company, one day a week for a year during
the first year of studies. I’ve also done an 11-week work
placement at Fuller’s Bakery in Goole. I’ve attended the
Richemont School and passed the Bread & Confectionery
courses. I’ve recently done a week’s work placement at
Slattery’s in Manchester. I have a passion for baking.
Hannah Conneely: I have just finished my
degree at The National Bakery School in
London. During my course I worked for a
range of bakeries from craft wholesale to a
small two-woman show. I’m now applying
for positions in NPD to start off my full-time career.
publication
CBA relaunches
its Book of
Breadmaking
We’re delighted to
announce the launch
of the revised version
of the Book of
Breadmaking.
The book has been
a favourite of the
baking industry and
this updated version
would suit any young
bakery student, apprentice or even the
most experienced baker. With A-Z
knowledge of breadmaking, various
recipes and even competition
etiquette, this winning combination is
a must. Available in soft or hardback,
the books cost £70 (softback) or £75
(hardback). Contact: Karen@
craftbakersassociation.co.uk
The Alliance of Bakery
Students and Trainees’
bakery student Deirdre
Gaffney, from the
Dublin Bakery College,
bought the first CBA Book of
Breadmaking. To celebrate the
occasion, the book was signed by
CBA president David Smart.
Crumb softness in
breadmaking: the role
lecithin can play
15 June 1956
By Edmund B Bennion
Probably the most significant
development in breadmaking since
the war has been the improvement
and the extension of the use of
crumb softening agents in the
production of the majority of bread
made in plant bakeries. The crumb
softening agents are particularly
useful in retaining the softness and
apparent freshness of the crumb,
and postponing the normal signs of
staleness. They have also helped in
improving bread’s slicing quality.
Prior to the war the production
of crumb softness was largely
dependent on the correct
manipulation and fermentation of
the dough, in which varying
proportions of fat and other
enriching agents were used. Oil and
fats were used in quantities up to
10lb per sack. Many firms in the
north of England, in particular, used
pure lard, as this had been proved
to be the best shortening agent for
use in bread, and 5lb per sack was a
events
Kent event wins out
The Kent Bakers Association held their
Bread and Confectionery Competition
during the Annual Dinner Dance on
13 June.
This event, which has been
running for more than 35 years,
allows craft bakers from Kent and the
surrounding areas to compete in
friendly competition, in various
classes of bread and confectionery.
The competition this year displayed
nearly 300 entries of a very high
standard.
The awards were presented at the
dinner dance in the evening, which
attracted more than 100 guests. The
event was expertly organised by the
president Geoff Champs.
Craft Bakers’ Association president
David Smart and his wife were in
attendance, as was Laser president
Daniel Carr and his wife Vicky.
laser meeting
The next LASER meeting will be held on
Tuesday 28 July at 2pm at the National
Bakery School, London South Bank
University, 103 Borough Road London
SE1 0AA. The meeting will be chaired
by LASER president Daniel Carr.
The National Bakery School is
offering a tour of its facilities to
attendees. To confirm attendance email
[email protected].
A big thank you
Softening agents
are useful in
retaining the
softness and
freshness of
the crumb
normal amount used in the best
grades of bread.
We must remember, however, that in
those days, at least three grades of
bread were produced, with a price
differential of a halfpenny per quarter
loaf between each, so that it was
practical economics to use fat at these
higher levels, together with the top
patent flours, and produce bread of
superb quality.
Kindred Bakery – South of
England Show, West Sussex
Anthony Kindred received great thanks from the
National Farmers’ Union recently, after completing its
seventh year of demonstrating breadmaking from
scratch, interacting with both adults and children for the
three-day event at the South of England Show in West
Sussex. On the first day the showpiece Wheatsheaf was
made and stayed on display until the last day, when it is
traditionally donated to a local church or farm for open
days. The bakery section is one of the most appreciated
elements of the annual show and contribution from
Kindred’s is not to be underestimated, with the time it
puts in to help make this show a success.
Another successful Oxford Association
Annual Dinner Dance was held on 7
March, with the evening raising a
fantastic profit from the raffle, which is
to be distributed between the Oxford
Junior Children’s Hospital and £200 to
the CBA Benevolent Fund. Our thanks
go to the Oxford Association for
their generosity.
www.craftbakersassociation.co.uk3
Bakers’Review
employment
Checking the right to work in the UK
Approved documents for the right to
work in the UK fall into two lists:
●●Documents from List A establish
that the person has an ongoing
entitlement to work in the UK
●●Documents from List B indicate the
person has restrictions on his/her
entitlement to be in the UK.
The checks must be made before
the employment begins and, to avoid
discrimination, all applicants should
be treated in the same way.
List A: ongoing entitlement
If the worker has an indefinite right to
work in the UK – in other words, there
are no restrictions on his/her ability to
work in the UK – he/she must provide
one or more of the valid documents in
List A. Several documents are
acceptable by themselves, but certain
documents must be produced in
combination with an official document
giving the person’s permanent NI
number and his/her name issued by a
government agency or a previous
employer. For a list of these documents
go to http://tinyurl.com/korpbl6.
Employers must
carry out checks
on staff before
the employment
begins
List B: restrictions on entitlement
Workers who cannot produce the
necessary documents from List A must
be asked to produce documents from
List B, which give just a temporary
right to work in the UK. So employers
should undertake additional checks as
to when the employee’s permission to
be in the UK and to do the work in
Case study
In Okuoimose v City Facilities Management (13/09/2011),
Mrs Okuoimose was married to an EEA national, so had a
right of residence, but was suspended without pay when
a Home Office stamp in her passport ran out. She was
told she would be dismissed a few weeks later on the
grounds that it would be illegal to continue to employ
her; however, she provided a letter from the UKBA (now
the UKVI) confirming that she could work in the UK. She
was therefore reinstated but made a claim for unlawful
deduction of wages for the period of unpaid suspension.
She failed initially, as the tribunal said that the contract
was illegal during the period of suspension as Mrs
Okuoimose had failed to provide proof of her entitlement
to work. The Employment Appeal Tribunal disagreed,
however. Mrs Okuoimose was a family member of an EEA
national, so had the right to residence, therefore the
expiry of a passport stamp would not alter that fact and
would not have made her continued employment illegal.
question expires. Employers will need
to diarise these checks for every
worker with limited leave and ensure
they are carried out. If the employee no
longer has the right to work here and
cannot provide evidence that he/she is
in the process of obtaining continued
approval to work in the UK, the
employer must terminate the
employment. However, an employee
can keep working after the visa expires
if he/she produces certain documents
to confirm he/she has applied for a new
or renewed visa in time (ie before its
expiry). This has now been formalised.
The ‘statutory excuse’ (ie defence
against illegal working) has been
extended for a maximum of 28 days
beyond the expiry date, where the
employer is reasonably satisfied that an
employee has submitted an application
or has an appeal pending against an
application decision. To benefit from
this, however, employers must now
check with the UKVI, using its Employer
Checking Service. If a Positive
Verification Notice is received, the
employer will have a ‘statutory excuse’
for a further six months from the check.
There are two types of List B
documents: Group 1 - where a
time-limited ‘statutory excuse’
(defence against illegal working) lasts
until the expiry date of leave; and
Group 2 - where a time-limited
‘statutory excuse’ lasts for six months.
For a full list of these documents go
to http://tinyurl.com/korpbl6.
For both A and B Lists
The employer must in all cases see the
original document and keep a record
of when the right to work checks are
made, but it is no longer necessary to
keep a copy of the front page of a
passport. However, the employer must
be satisfied that it relates to the
individual in question – by checking
names, photographs, dates of birth
and so on – and also that the expiry
dates of any limited leave to enter or
remain in the UK have not passed.
The employer should also check any
UK Government endorsements to
ensure the documents allow the
person to do the work in question. If
the family name is different on the two
documents, another document
showing the reason for the name
change will need to be checked and
recorded (for example, marriage
certificate, divorce decree, deed poll
or statutory declaration). There is no
requirement to carry out re-checks if
the potential employee can provide
evidence from List A of his/her
continuing right to work in the UK.
Copies should be made of the
relevant documentation produced and
retained in a secure file for the
duration of the employment and for a
further two years after the employment
has ended.
The checks should be carried out
for every prospective employee prior
to starting work, irrespective of the job
or position.
4www.craftbakersassociation.co.uk