A 14-year-old from Co Down has launched his own baking business realising a lifelong dream.
Ollie Anderson from Moira is already finding quick success with his new business Ollies Bakes saying that it has been something he has dreamed about for years.
The teenager has been an avid baker since he was three, having grown up baking alongside his late auntie and grandmother who passed their passion for it onto him.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Ollie said that he has been amazed at how many orders he has received since opening the business at the end of March, with his Easter cheesecakes proving to be particularly popular.
He said: "I have been a passionate baker since I was about the age of three and can remember falling in love with it as I baked alongside my auntie and grandmother who were fantastic at it.
"It is something that I have always enjoyed and for the past few years it has always been a goal of mine to set up my own baking business as I focus on becoming the best baker that I can be.
"I realised at a bake sale at my school, Lisnagarvey High School, that it is a career that I could follow when I managed to make a £50 profit on what I brought in and it gave me a real boost to try and do even more.
"Although, I was originally planning to open the business during the Summer but an Easter bake sale that I had bought all of the ingredients for got cancelled and I decided to set it up earlier to ensure that nothing would go to waste.
"I have only been open a week and I am already nearly fully booked for Easter."
Ollie said that so far his Easter Cheesecakes and cupcakes have proved to be very popular and he is always looking at new recipes and items that he can make to expand his baking skills further.
He continued: "In just a week I have received around £300 worth of orders for Easter and I am almost fully booked, which is brilliant.
"Most of the orders have been for my Easter Cheesecakes, which are based inside an Easter Egg, and my cupcakes, although there have been a few other orders in there too.
"My favourite dish to make is Pavlova, although it is something that takes up a lot of time, because it reminds me of my childhood and baking with my auntie growing up before she passed away. It was her favourite thing to make and when I do it I am reminded of her and all the memories I have of us baking together.
"At the moment I am still finding my feet with the business side of things and I can't wait until the summer when I can throw all of my effort behind it when I am off school."
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