Madeleine Witham, owner of The Little Cupcake Ballarat, isn’t just in the business of baked goods.
People travel far and wide to visit her little shop in the heart of regional Victoria. It’s sweet, warm and friendly, but it also has something special that people can’t quite put their finger on.
“People call it their happy place,” Madeleine says. “We don’t just want to sell people a beautiful product, we want to bring joy to people’s lives.”
Like many businesses, The Little Cupcake had to adapt during COVID-19. That’s when she came up with an idea that could help her business and support people in her community.
“I started 'Random Acts of Cupcakes' so that people could donate a box of cupcakes to go to people who are doing it tough in COVID and bring them a bit of joy,” Madeleine said.
This week, The Little Cupcake is donating cupcakes to people with disabilities living in group homes. Madeleine’s daughter Ella has an intellectual disability and lives in a group home, so she knows first hand how difficult it’s been for people like Ella and her housemates.
“It’s been difficult for a lot of them. Their families can’t visit them, they can’t go out, and many don’t fully understand what’s happening or why. Some have been scared of getting the disease… They’re a highly impacted group of people but not many people ever stop and think about what it’s like for them.”
Madeleine said her daughter Ella has found it particularly distressing because her day-to-day routine has been disrupted, and seeing people in masks brings up fears of medical treatments.
“Those things are hard for her, but most of all, her family can’t come and visit which means she feels very lonely. She just wants a ‘mummy cuddle’ and can’t have one.”
Madeline and her team at The Little Cupcake know the joy that their little cakes bring, and want to use them to brighten up the days of people like her daughter Ella who are doing it tough.
“We’ve done cupcake decorating classes in Ballarat group homes before - they absolutely loved it. It’s social, fun, something everyone could join in on, and they all made something beautiful to take home and share with their friends and family.”
If you’d like to donate a 'Random Act of Cupcakes' to a group home, head to The Little Cupcake’s website - donations start at $21 (for a box of 6 cupcakes). Simply choose how many you’d like to send, choose ‘pick up’ at the checkout, and The Little Cupcake will do the rest.
