Southsea Infant School children team up with care home residents for virtual bake off

CHILDREN at Southsea Infant School have brought some festive cheer to residents at a care home after taking their annual bake off competition online.
The award winning cake of Daisy Blissett, six.The award winning cake of Daisy Blissett, six.
The award winning cake of Daisy Blissett, six.

Unable to host its traditional bake off the school decided to run a virtual event which was streamed into Braemar Care Home, also in Southsea, where residents were asked to judge the Best in Year categories.

At the end of the recent lockdown pupils were asked to bake and decorate their own cakes and to submit a photograph to the school’s website. A compilation of entries was produced and a virtual show was relayed to the residents at the care home.

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The overall Star Baker Award went to Daisy Blissett, six, for her chocolate orange cake while the title of Most Creative Baker went to Harry Clilverd, five, for his snowmen cupcakes.

Harry Cliverd, five, received the title of Most Creative Baker.Harry Cliverd, five, received the title of Most Creative Baker.
Harry Cliverd, five, received the title of Most Creative Baker.

After being told of her award Daisy said: ‘I’m very happy I won. I was shocked and excited. I really enjoyed doing the cake. My favourite bit was decorating it and eating it. It was so much fun and crazy – there was chocolate everywhere.’

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Judging these two categories was the school’s retiring headteacher, Lyndsey Cook.

Miss Cook said: ‘We’ve had to miss our film night, end of term discos and our popular summer fair this year but as we’ve seen throughout the year our committee have thought outside the box and put on virtual events.

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‘There were so many talented children and it was a really tough decision to choose winners. My only disappointment was I couldn’t actually try them all.’

After a difficult year for care homes the competition also brought some light relief for residents.

Care home manager Maria Bungaroo commented: ‘After such a gloomy year, when we have all had to be so careful and our residents have had such limited contact with people, this competition and engagement with the community was so welcomed by everyone in the home.

‘The residents took real pleasure in working with the school and judging the baking competition. We hope that next year the restrictions will have loosened enough so they can meet the children and actually eat the cakes.’

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The competition was organised by the school’s Parents Teachers and Friends Association with the £1 entry fee used to help fund the improvements to outdoor learning areas.

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