06 Jun 2024
Baking Buddies, a fun and engaging baking programme designed for children aged five to 11, regularly holds sessions at High Beeches School in Harpenden. but last week they were joined by some rather high-profile guests, as founder Sabrina Shafer explains…
I had the unique and unexpected opportunity to be part of the Lib Dems’ election campaign when they asked me if Sir Ed Davey and his team could join my Baking Buddies’ holiday camp session.
The anticipation was huge and all the children, and I, were extremely excited on the day. When all the reporters started arriving at the school, it suddenly became real. We kept ourselves busy with the activity I love most, baking, something that is even more fun when I can share it with my young buddying bakers.
With the help of two friends and avid Baking Buddies’ supporters, Katherine Jardine and Ellie Cook, we worked with the children on perfecting our pasta making skills until the big moment arrived.
The school staff room was abuzz with reporters who gratefully enjoyed the cake I had made for them while chatting about where they had already been that day and what clips might feature on ‘Have I Got News For You’ that evening.
Then it all happened at once. Firstly, our two local MP candidates, Victoria Collins and Daisy Cooper, arrived, and together with the press coordinator we swiftly prepared the area for Ed, Victoria and Daisy to sit with the young Baking Buddies. As soon as we had sorted the aprons, I was whisked over to the entrance to welcome Ed Davey to Baking Buddies with a special hat for the baking session.
The children at Baking Buddies were eagerly waiting to share their baking passion with Ed.
As Ed Davey sat down with the children, he greeted everyone with a handshake and genuine enthusiasm. His approachable demeanour immediately put everyone at ease and so the baking began.
All three politicians had a buddying baker to help them follow the recipe for lemon ricotta biscuits. Ed was paired with Verity Pember, 10, Victoria with Jessika Shafer, 10, and Daisy with Sophie Langsman, aged nine, and together they mixed the ingredients and chatted away.
Ed showed great skill at mixing and enjoyed tasting the dough and licking the spoon, which came somewhat of a surprise to the children sitting around him. He mixed and chatted away and asked the children to help him with the various steps. When I explained to Ed that I love baking but don’t generally demonstrate how to create the bakes to the children to foster self-learning, independence, and teamwork, he said: “So, you are the Mary Berry of Hertfordshire?”
After finishing his biscuit batter, he carefully put four dollops of batter onto the baking tray ready to be baked during his interviews with the press.
During the live interviews taking place only a few steps away from us, Victoria and Daisy chatted away with us, putting us all at ease. They were both incredibly friendly and encouraged many photos to be taken to remember the occasion.
When the biscuits were ready, they were quickly iced by Izzy Barnett, also 10, ready for Ed to sample after his interviews.
He took a quick moment to chat with us, then took the biscuits before being whisked off to the next engagement.
The whole experience was finished in a flash! All three politicians made a genuine connection with the children and me, engaging with us on a personal level. Of course, the visit was part of the election campaign, however, I also felt a genuine interest in what Baking Buddies is about: fostering a love of baking in the new generation.
