Random acts of kindness go a long way.
I think we can all admit we’ve experienced a baking phase in lockdown. I mean, I went cookie-monster mad and thought I was worthy of taking on The Great British Bake Off (I was dreaming). While this interest may have fizzled out quickly, The Good Bread Project continues to embrace the therapeutic act with a ‘goodness’ purpose.
Passionate cook, self-taught baker and mother of four, Jo created The Good Bread Project two years ago when she moved from Melbourne to Geelong. The Good Bread Project operates in two ways: pay it forward – firstly, two loaves of bread are delivered to random houses in the Geelong region on Saturdays and Sundays and those recipients then nominate who they want to gift bread to (all free of charge), or secondly, for a small contribution, you can gift bread to someone who you think deserves some loving.
From a friend’s wild wheat starter culture and a copy of ‘Tartine’ by sourdough guru Chard Robertson, Jo’s project came to fruition.
“Any baker will tell you there is something very satisfying about gifting bread, it’s always received with such joy. This was my motivation for starting The Good Bread Project. Let’s not forget, it’s just flour, salt and water (and a lot of time and love) but there is something about the humble loaf of bread that brings warmth and comfort and a reminder that the simple things in life are the best,” says Jo.
Straight from Jo’s oven to your doorstep, all the handmade loaves are 100% organic sourdough, and are made with white and wholegrain flour, starter culture, sea salt and water. Jo tells us that the whole process takes over 24 hours, so a lot of hard laboured love goes into every loaf sent out.
Organising a delivery from The Good Bread Project could be a thoughtful reminder to a loved one who might be struggling and give them a reason to smile during this grim lockdown period.
“Helping people tell their loved ones what they mean to them. The real heart of this project is the beautiful messages that are passed on, the bread is just a bonus. I receive so many emails from people who have been gifted bread, telling me how it made their day, was the most wonderful surprise or how it made them cry tears of happiness. This is what it’s all about,” shares Jo.
“I hope that people feel inspired to perform their own little acts of kindness. The most simple of gestures can have a great impact on the life of someone else and I think we all need a little more of that right now.”
“Life can be wonderful if you’re not afraid of it. All it takes is courage, imagination… and a little dough.” – Charlie Chaplin.
If you would like to gift bread to someone dear, you can simply visit The Good Bread Project’s website and send through a nomination.
