About Us
The Baking Sanctuary
Shani is the Lead Facilitator and Founder of The Baking Sanctuary, a London-based, family-run creative wellbeing business crafting natural soy wax fragrance candles inspired by nostalgic baking scents, sensory comfort, and emotional connection.
Proudly neurodivergent-led, The Baking Sanctuary is rooted in education, baking, and healing. Shani’s journey began in SEN (Special Educational Needs) teaching before evolving into baking and scent alchemy. Today, she seamlessly blends her professional background with her passion and flair for baking, developing signature candle and wax melt fragrances that gently nod to beloved kitchen dessert flavours.
Inspired by the permanent, comforting scent of baking aromas, each candle is thoughtfully created to honour the five senses - inviting grounding, warmth, and a sense of safety into everyday spaces. These are more than fragrances; they are sensory experiences designed to nurture emotional connection and wellbeing.
At the heart of The Baking Sanctuary is community care. Beyond candles, the wider work supports vulnerable groups including:
Female survivors of domestic and sexual violence
Neurodivergent children and families
OAP veterans
Active service personnel and their families
Through creativity and sensory-led experiences, Shani uses baking, scent, and hands-on workshops as restorative tools for grounding and healing. The candles themselves are an extension of this philosophy accessible luxury infused with meaning, comfort, and intention.
The Baking Sanctuary exists to remind us that sometimes the simplest comforts a familiar scent, a warm glow, a memory of something freshly baked can be powerful anchors for healing.
Why Candles?
Our candle range is intentionally designed around familiar, comforting baking aromas the scents that evoke memory, safety, and joy.
Scent is deeply connected to emotion. A warm vanilla sponge, spiced cinnamon, or buttery shortbread note can instantly transport us to moments of comfort, celebration, or togetherness. These fragrances are chosen with care to create a gentle sense of grounding and reassurance in everyday spaces.
Each candle is hand-poured using natural soy wax and high-quality fragrance oils, ensuring a clean, long-lasting burn. Housed in copper-toned tins and finished with striking, elegant labels, they are crafted to be both a sensory experience and a beautiful object perfect for the home, office, or thoughtful gifting.
More than fragrance, our candles are small rituals of comfort. They are an invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect transforming ordinary moments into something warm, meaningful, and restorative.
About the facilitator
Shani is a qualified SEN teacher, creative baking practitioner, and the founder of The Baking Sanctuary a nurturing space where survivors, veterans and ND women reconnect with joy, presence, and healing through the therapeutic art of baking.
Level 2 counselling qualified, trained in Mindfulness, Shani is committed to offering a supportive, trauma-aware space deeply rooted in empathy, patience, and practical tools for well-being. Her approach weaves together the mindfulness of baking, the power of creative expression, and the safety of slow, sensory connection.
With a background in Sociology, special educational needs, and lived experience as a neurodivergent mother who has navigated PTSD, sudden loss and grief, she brings deep compassion to her work. Through inclusive, sensory-friendly courses and community spaces, Shani helps support those who may feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unseen find comfort and connection, one whisk at a time.
Contact us
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