REV JENNY GAFFIN: Having fun, sharing experiences and being able to chat across the generations

The vicar of Hayling Island on the annual church baking competition
CAP:  Girls from the 2nd Hayling Girls Brigade group and the St Andrews  Ladies group enjoy their baking contest with the Rev Jenny Gaffin (bottom right)CAP:  Girls from the 2nd Hayling Girls Brigade group and the St Andrews  Ladies group enjoy their baking contest with the Rev Jenny Gaffin (bottom right)
CAP: Girls from the 2nd Hayling Girls Brigade group and the St Andrews Ladies group enjoy their baking contest with the Rev Jenny Gaffin (bottom right)

When you think about it, church congregations are one of the few places in today’s society where old and young people regularly meet together.

Most social events are aimed at certain sections of society – and that’s absolutely fine.

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We all have different tastes and what appeals to a teenager may or may not appeal to a pensioner.

But at church, different generations often experience things together.

That’s certainly been our experience on Hayling Island, and especially in the area of baking.

For the second year in a row, the girls in our Girls’ Brigade group competed recently in a bake-off against a ladies group from St Andrew’s Church, in Eastoke.

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They took Easter as their theme, and each side was given an hour-and-a-half to produce biscuits, cupcakes and a showstopper.

Unlike the last time this happened, I was able to be a judge and so I got to sample the fantastic bakes they created.

The St Andrew’s group, who usually meet to watch a film together, baked a traditional Easter series of bakes, using marzipan and icing to top their delicious biscuits and cupcakes.

Their showstopper was coloured yellow, surrounded by chicks and decorated with an Easter Cross covered in hundreds and thousands.

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The girls from the 2nd Hayling Girls’ Brigade refused to follow the traditional path, baking unusual but very tasty cupcakes in the style of hot cross buns.

They also made lemon-flavoured bunny-shaped biscuits and a huge, colourful bunny diving into an Easter Garden for their showstopper cake.

They presented their results by providing some research into the history of hot cross buns as well as wearing a monk’s wig!

Both sides performed extremely well and it was a fantastic and fun evening.

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Although my fellow judge Ann and I originally decided it should be a draw, in the end we gave the Girls’ Brigade an extra half a point for imagination and presentation.

Having fun, sharing experiences and being able to chat across the generations is something that really builds up our community, so I’m delighted that this seems to have become an annual event.

St Andrew’s Church is in Southwood Road, Eastoke, Hayling Island.

Go to haylinganglicans.com.

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