On a roll: Chaplain baking 125 loaves of bread for 125 years

To celebrate the University of Birmingham’s 125th anniversary, Chaplain Pastor Obi Iheoma is baking 125 loaves of bread—one for every year of the university’s history! 

From the Multi-faith Chaplaincy kitchen, Pastor Obi (with help from student and staff volunteers) is running daily bread-baking sessions leading with the goal of completing 125 loaves by Friday 20 June. All loaves will be donated to Let’s Feed Brum, a local charity supporting people facing homelessness. 

“This is about more than bread,” Pastor Obi says. “It’s about community, care, and connection.” 

With a background in engineering, theology, and education, Pastor Obi’s journey to the Chaplaincy has been anything but conventional. Originally from Nigeria, he retrained as a teacher after moving to the UK in 1995, later becoming a maths lecturer and higher education manager before taking on Chaplaincy roles across the West Midlands and Police Scotland. Pastor Obi has made bread-baking a staple of Chaplaincy life.  

Whether you’re a total beginner or just there for the snacks, everyone’s welcome. “It’s a beautiful way to mark this anniversary”, Pastor Obi tells us, “it brings people together, across disciplines and backgrounds, and creates something nourishing in every sense.” 

Get involved 

Drop in every Monday–Thursday until Friday 20 June, from 11:00 
Multi-faith Chaplaincy 

Get your hands floury, make new friends, and be part of something meaningful. You might leave with more than a loaf.