Celebrating Stephen’s Bakery and its Community Contributions

That the Parliament celebrates what it sees as the remarkable contribution of Stephen’s Bakery, a family-run business, which began with William Stephen in the 19th century and has since grown to employ more than 240 people across 14 shops and retail partnerships with Co-op, Scotmid, and Morrisons Daily; understands that the business has consistently combined tradition and innovation, including becoming the first standalone drive-thru bakery in Scotland and the UK in 2018, under the leadership of Rona Sarafilovic; commends the ethos of quality, adaptability, and community engagement that has defined the bakery for over a century and a half; recognises in particular, the work of the Stephen’s Bakery Foundation, established in 2018, which, it understands, has contributed more than £300,000 to good causes across Fife and beyond; welcomes the Foundation’s support for 52 schools with breakfast club funding, including, it understands, over £8,000 annually to schools in Kirkcaldy such as Kirkcaldy High, Balwearie High, St Andrews High, Gallatown Nursery, and Fair Isle Primary, ensuring that thousands of young people start the school day with a nutritious meal; recognises the Foundation’s more than 300 donations to individuals, schools, and community groups, including providing wheelchairs, adapted buggies, and mobility aids for children with disabilities, supporting youth sports clubs with equipment across a wide range of disciplines such as football, gymnastics, athletics, and swimming, and offering resources to develop sensory rooms, calm corners, and specialist learning environments in schools; applauds its role in strengthening community wellbeing through support for grassroots initiatives such as Grow West Fife, which promotes sustainable food growing, Frontline Fife, which works to end homelessness, and Empty Kitchens Full Hearts, which provides meals to those in need; recognises its targeted focus on tackling poverty, enhancing education, and improving health and wellbeing; believes that this charitable legacy demonstrates the vital role of socially responsible family businesses in enriching communities, and commends Stephen’s Bakery for exemplifying that heritage, innovation, and compassion can combine to make a lasting positive difference across Scotland.