Bake off is tasty treat at hospice (From The Oxford Times)

Bake off is tasty treat at hospice

4:00pm Friday 15th February 2013 in News By Fran Bardsley, covering Education, East Oxford and Cowley. Call me on 01865 425439

YOUNG hospice users were given the chance to explore their culinary side with a special event at Oxford’s Douglas House.

The East Oxford respite hospice held a Bake Off event where users got the chance to make recipes they would not be able to at home.

Gemma Orton, 27, Fleur Perry, 23, Kerri Hunter, 26, Charlotte Walter, 18, and Lizzie Waddington, 23, have conditions which make it difficult to bake alone.

They were paired up with members of the care team for the event on February 5.

Norfolk artist Gemma, who has spinal muscular atrophy and receives respite care at the hospice, was teamed with care team member Chris Bloor.

After slaving over their recipies, her Eton Mess cupcakes were declared overall winner.

She said: “It was such a fun day and the judge Tracey (Mann) was really nice.

“Chris, my cooking partner, was far more competitive than me and he did a great job piping the meringue.

“It seemed such a crazy idea, the Bake Off, but it was great. I was shocked when Tracey said I was the winner.”

The bake-off was the idea of Swindon’s Fleur Perry who also has spinal muscular atrophy and made smiling cupcakes.

Fleur said: “It was an absolutely fantastic day.

“There was a very competitive atmosphere with attempts of sabotage by some team members.

“All the cakes turned it well and tasted great.”

Hospice staff got involved too and brought in their bakes to be judged by professional cake baker and decorator Tracey Mann.

Care team member Maggie Coombes won the staff plain cake category with her chocolate cake, while fellow care team member Neira Dlaka won the decorated cake category with a Wallace and Gromit cake.

Kate Barklie, organiser of the event from the Douglas House care team, said: “As a team we love to make something happen that a guest has asked for, and make it an amazing and special event for them. It was a great day for the young women, staff and volunteers.”

The Magdalen Road hospice is run by the Helen & Douglas House charity, which opened children’s hospice Helen House in 1982.

Douglas House opened in 2004 for those aged 16 and over.