‘I suffered really badly with anxiety, and I couldn’t leave the house but turned to baking and it was my coping mechanism’
Bethany Fenwick, founder of Bee’s Treats, is up for two awards(Image: Bee’s Treats)
A young East Riding entrepreneur who launched a baking business to help overcome anxiety is celebrating after receiving two top award nominations.
Bethany Fenwick only launched Bee’s Treats eight months ago, but it has already become a firm favourite with fellow villagers in Thornton, near Pocklington – as well as judges at a high profile business event. The 20-year-old bakes and sells brownies, cheesecakes, cookies and all manner of other treats from her roadside stall, set close to a bridle path near Thronton, where she has a captive audience of hikers, tourists and dog walkers.
And she has also been spreading the Bee’s Treats name at food fayres, while also selling through her popular Instagram account. Having become a firm favourite with lots of loyal customers, Bethany now hopes her bakes will see her rise above the competition in two categories at the UK Small Business Awards 2026.
She is shortlisted as Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Best New Business for the York area, with the grand final set to take place this December. Bethany described how Bee’s Treats has come to represent much more than a business venture to her.
She explained how crippling anxiety left her fearful of leaving the house, preferring instead to stay at home. She had just started at teaching degree at Lincoln University when she began suffering anxiety – yet baking for friends and family, who were in awe of her cookery skills, gave her a much-needed boost.
Bethany said: “I started it because I suffered really badly with anxiety, and I couldn’t leave the house. I turned to baking, and then when I used to give treats away to family they ‘you need to start up a business, these are so nice, you need to share it’. So in January, I just decided to take that leap and do it.
“I make cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, massive tier cakes – I was just trying everything because I wanted to open up what I can do. I think my anxiety might have started because of the exam stress, and then I was moving away from home too, it all factored in.
“I’m completely fine now, but obviously baking was my coping mechanism. That’s why I’ve found such a love for baking.”
Bee’s Treats’ roadside stall has gone down a storm with everyone that has come across it in the Pocklington area. She also makes sure she has dog treats on hand for the passers-by.
She said: “I’ve had really positive feedback. I’ve only been open eight months and I’m already so thankful and impressed with the amount of clientele I’ve had. And obviously now I’ve been nominated for two small business awards. It’s so exciting to see that path growing.
“Obviously, I’m doing teaching at university, so if that’s my career path, I am very happy with that. But also, if my baking takes off and I look at having own my own cafe I would also be really happy with that path.”
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