THE shock of being faced with redundancy as a Rolls Royce contractor was enough to spur Thornton-in-Craven woman Chloe Thompson into founding a business of her own.

Chloe was on maternity leave when the news came through, but she decided to make the best of the bad news and set about make her love of cake baking into a career and established Chloe’s Cakes.

She said: “Basically it’s all been a bit of whirlwind.

“I’ve always done baking and then I started doing bits and pieces for people here and there.

“Then when the news came through that me and my team were going to be made redundant at Barnoldswick I decided to get my professional qualification, start a business and from there we’ve just gone from strength to strength.”

While caring for daughters Olivia and Evelyn, Chloe studied hard to gain a level three food safety and hygiene certificate before registering her new business from her home in Craven with a five* food hygiene rating from Craven District Council.

The business delivery services now stretch across much of Lancashire and North Yorkshire.

She added: “We started off quite local and now I’ve got orders up to next June.

“People started with small orders and now the same customers are coming back.

“Everyone’s thinking with the vaccine getting rolled out that there’s hope yet for weddings.”

Not only has the business been a great success, but Chloe and partner Darren Morley, who she described as her “biggest supporter” have been helping charities in their local community.

Already she has raised £150 for charities including Salvation Army and Macmillan cancer research and donated over £200 worth of vouchers to various nursing homes and causes including Pendleside Hospice and Manorlands.

More recently she has been providing regular food packages to Church on the Street, in Barnoldswick.

She said: “You’ve just got to do your bit because everybody is in the same boat.”

To help get her name around quickly she developed an online presence and quickly gained a strong social media following.

Chloe is now looking forward to the future as she launches her new wedding cake range.

To find out if Chloe’s Cakes can deliver to your area, go to: www.facebook.com/chloescakesnorthyorkshire.