Local Face: Will Cameron
Will has lived in Wendover since his birth in March 1994. His parents, John and Shirley Cameron, moved to Wendover in 1988. Will was their 2nd son after Alex, born in 1989, who died from cot death at 12 weeks of age.
When Will was 2 years old, Shirley left her job working for Wetherspoons and became a Registered Childminder spending the next 10 years surrounded by some wonderful children. John also became registered to help with the growing family of minded children, which he did alongside being an Underground Driver, based on the Metropolitan Line.
Will went to nursery in Wendover, then onto Gateway School in Great Missenden and Rudolf Steiner School in Kings Langley. At 8 years of age, it was clear to Will and his parents that school wasn’t for him, and so he was home educated for many years, whilst joining in with many other Home Educators within Bucks for group learning activities, social events and even trips abroad to France, Holland and Italy. He also enjoyed a long association with Wendover Scouts. Will then went to Waddesdon Sixth Form (he was the first person who had been Home Educated to be accepted) at 17 to do his ‘A’ Levels, and then on to read Philosophy at University of London.
When Will was around 13 years old, it became clear that his father, John, was ill and he was diagnosed, firstly with Early Onset Dementia, then Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. On top of home schooling, college, university and work, Will helped care for his father at home, up until his father’s death in May 2017.
In the first week of University, Will met his future partner, Shamsun, who was doing the same degree. They have been together ever since. During his final year at University, Will worked in a bakery, and it was during this time that a seed began to grow that he would like to own and run his own artisan bakery one day.
After months and months of planning, long hours and hard work, eventually he found a site, bought an oven, and in September 2017, Baker’s Dozen arrived. Will and Shamsun were overwhelmed by the love and support of people really enthused by the idea of the bakery, and set off to a roaring start.
Baker’s Dozen is based just outside Tring, at Mead’s Farm, Wilstone, joining a vibrant scene of local food producers, from a rapeseed oil presser, to a gin distillery and cake decorator. The bakery supplies bread and patisseries to various outlets in the surrounding areas, as well as into London and, of course, Mead’s Farm Shop and Café.
The business was set up by Will, Shamsun and two others – Jules and Maxime – who are both talented artisinal bakers from France. They worked together to build it, using investment from local residents and food lovers alike to start-up. At the bakery, they use traditional French baking methods and French flour to make outstanding products that are not only tastier, but also healthier than their English counterparts.
Will and Shamsun enjoy meeting their customers at local events that they take part in, such as Tring Christmas Market. They are really enthusiastic about living and working in and around Wendover, and providing their customers with a great tasting loaf. They are fully committed to providing good quality artisan bread. In future they are looking forward to expanding to more local customers, and further afield.
