Honesty and integrity about food is at the heart of the West Berkshire-based, Honesty Group’s business. We were delighted to welcome founder, Ms Romilla Arber, to Downe House to talk to our Fifth and Sixth Form girls about why she is so passionate about bread and the growth of her company.

Upper Fifth girl Tilly who attended the talk reported,

“I had the privilege of attending a talk by Ms Romilla Arber, CEO of the Honesty Group. Her business has grown to employ people in nine local communities, aiming to enrich them through honest food and togetherness. Ms Arber told us that she started her career working in law but always had a love of food, embedded in her ‘food soul’ by childhood memories of her mother’s cooking, inspired by her Sri Lankan heritage.

Ms Arber has written two cookbooks, What’s for Dinner? and Second Helpings, which she created to help families to plan good organic meals in an accessible and easy way. The profits from both books have been donated to the Food Education Trust, a charity set up to implement meal plans and provide kitchen equipment for schools to benefit the health and wellbeing of children.

We learned that Ms Arber’s love of bread and how it brings people together was the foundation for setting up the Honesty Group. As a result of the employment of local skilled workers in the bakery and the cafes, the business has brought together many communities providing healthy and natural food to their customers.

Ms Arber urged us to be passionate about the things we care about and encouraged us to always keep an open mind about opening up new pathways for ourselves. At the same time, her talk also ignited everyone’s food soul and gave us an understanding and appreciation of good bread!”

Find out more about the work of DH LINKS enabling girls to make informed career choices.