Joyce Aimond has owned and operated Bakers Delight Lane Cove for 26 years. She is a pillar of the community. If a local charity or sporting group needs donations, Joyce always raises her hand.
During the COVID19 lockdown she regularly supplied local nurses with yummy treats to keep their spirits up.
She also gave every child a free finger bun when they entered the In the Cove Chalk It Up comp (a competition designed to give kids something to do during lockdown).
She has been recognised by the Lane Cove Council for her support of local charities.
For the last year Joyce has been trying to recruit bakers for her business.
She now only has one baker, and the rest of the time Joyce is in the bakery between 2 am and 4 am seven days a week baking the bread herself. She is lucky that her children all work in the business and help her out, however, that has taken its toll on her family, with her son regularly falling asleep during university lectures due to exhaustion.
Over the last six months, Bakers Delight Lane Cove has had to close at least once or twice a month due to staff shortages. The shop may be closed but she still must pay wages, utilities, and rent.
Joyce worked hard to try and solve the issue by recruiting Bakers overseas. She found some candidates and they have been approved subject to a skills assessment test. She has been told she must wait 29 weeks for them to have a skills assessment.
To make matters worse, Joyce is now facing major health issues, which means she will need to spend less time in the bakery while she is undergoing health treatments.
Being a small business owner is hard, but the current business conditions are the worst that Joyce has ever faced. You cannot run a bakery without skilled talent.
Now it is time for the Lane Cove Community to support a long-standing business owner.
Do you know any bakers looking for a job?
Do you know any bakers who might be looking to relocate to Sydney?
Do you have experience in recruiting overseas workers and would be willing to help Joyce out to navigate the bureaucracy?
If you can help Joyce out please email her at [email protected].
Last, of all, remember to support a local business that has been in the community for 26 years and supported many local causes.
