I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here chef, Rosemary Shrager, has named Riverside ECHG’s ground-breaking veterans’ training bakery as her favoured charity. Rosemary visited the bakery last year and has been impressed with the important role the bakery provides in rehabilitating veterans who have faced homelessness.

When asked about why she supports theVeterans’ Artisan Bakery at The Beacon, Rosemary said:

“I understand what it’s like to hit total rock bottom and start again and I relate to people starting again at The Beacon. The bakery focuses them on a vocational subject, getting them to think, measure and use their hands. This is why I support them.”

The Beacon, along with the bakery, is located next to Catterick Garrison and is the initiative of housing association Riverside ECHG. It  provides temporary housing, training and specialist support to ex-servicemen and women who are at risk of homelessness. Officially opened in spring 2012, its range of facilities are focused on providing veterans access to a wide range of support and skills development opportunities.

One of the residents, Charlie , who served in the Marines has been gaining skills by working in the bakery and is looking at a possible bakery career: “When I was discharged everything got on top of me including relationship breakdown. But coming into the bakery early each morning and making 300 rolls has got me back into a routine and takes my mind off things. It’s good, really good.”

The Beacon offers a community café, where visitors are welcome to drop in during office hours, enjoy a tea or coffee and select from the delicious range of breads and pastries produced by the bakery.

If you would like to support the work of the Veterans’ Artisan Bakery please use our Virgin Money Giving page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayEventDetails.action?eventId=14109&charityId=1005083&invocation=evt0050