IF you want to make a Bakers Dozen or a single loaf of bread then the place to go is Bakery Bits for everything you need and the flour.

It is operated by Patrick Thornberry who started baking at home ten years ago and now runs a business based in Somerset, which exports to more than 60 countries around the world.

Bakery Bits sells baking equipment, baking ingredients, Panettone cases, flour (a wide range including flour from Italy, France and England), cloches/stones and baskets to let your dough rise, plus much more.

Turning the clock back to 2008, when Patrick started his home baking, the main reason he began was he did not like the product being sold by supermarkets and wanted to bake better bread using quality ingredients.

He knew to achieve this he would have to improve the equipment he had but was unable to buy it commercially in the UK.

He went online and found the equipment he needed in Australia, even though it was made in France.

To get the items he needed, he had to buy a specific amount and then sell all the items he didn’t.

His eureka moment, when it came to bread making and baking was when he was given a book written by Australian baker, Dan Lepard called The Handmade Loaf.

This opened a whole new avenue and vista for Patrick and from that moment he has never looked back.

It was an eye opener as he realised what could be achieved even by an amateur baker.

He has forged strong links with what can be described as ‘a community of bakers’ around the world who are as passionate about bread baking as him.

What has been great for Patrick is the world of baking has shown him not only how many artisan bakers there are but how many artisans or larger businesses produce quality ingredients from around the world.

When it comes to flour for example, Bakery Bits has a plethora of different kinds and variety.

They stock:

n Gilchester Organics Flour

n Foster’s Mill Flour

n Mulino Marino Mill Flour

n Foricher Les Moulins French Flour

n Redbournbury Mill Flour

n FWP Matthews Mill Flour

n Lammas Fayre Flour

n Stoate’s Mill Flour

n Chapatti Flour from Offley Mill

n Bread For Life Flour

n Organic Flour

One of the flours which caught my eye is produced by Lammas Fayre Flour.

What I found fascinating is the range includes Medieval Peasant’s Blend Flour, Norman Blend Rivet Wheat Flour, Anglo-Saxon Blend Wholemeal Rye Flour, Victorian Blend White Flour, Iron Age Blend Emmer And Spelt Flour and Viking Blend Barley Flour to name but a few.

As it states on Lammas Fayre Flour wesbite: “The product of several decades of sweat and academic rigour, John Letts has collected an extensive range of historically and botanically authentic cereals. All grown organically on farms in Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire.”

Lammas Fayre Flour is available exclusively from BakeryBits.

Speaking about what feelings he gets from being in business and selling to people and businesses around the world, Patrick said: “It is very satisfying.

“You get to talk to people who are just as passionate about baking and bread as I am.

“We sell to over 60 countries and it is great having satisfied customers buying what they need.

“I enjoy the direct involvement with the customers and we get many people ringing us up saying thank you.

“I have definitely learnt more in the past 10 years than I ever thought possible.

“People (in the baking community) are keen to share their knowledge.

“We sell an equal amount of equipment to men and women and also to young people who are passionate about their food and want to bake.”

But what about Patrick’s own passion about baking bread?

He said: “It is the result of passion and commitment.

“It is something which you can share with your friends, family and loved ones.

“It is the ability to bake a fresh loaf and create something which many people have not tasted.”

As a business Bakery Bits has grown and grown.

It started off in Honiton and then moved to Wellington due to lack of space and even now Patrick is looking for additional space.

Look ahead he said: “Without sound grandiose about it I want to continue to grow the business as much as possible.

“We have to continue what we have been doing over the last few years.

“Customers are telling us what they want and need.”

You will find Bakery Bits at 7, Lowmoor Business Park, Tonedale in Wellington.

Orders and Customer Services:

Phone: +44 (0) 1404 565656 Email: BakeryBits Please ring before visiting: Opening hours, Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm

For further information about Bakery Bits and to see the whole range of what they sell and provide go online to bakerybits.co.uk