Cake and community: Bringing people together for Cupcake Day
As Cupcake Day approaches, Rebekah Edwards in Liverpool tells us how her bake sale last year brought people together.
We held a bake sale on our street last Cupcake Day to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society – their work is vitally important, especially now.
As a physiotherapist in the NHS, I have seen the devastation that dementia can cause, not only to the person but also their family. I felt compelled to do something to help all people with dementia.
I think most people know or have known someone with dementia at some point in their lives. One of my grandparents was diagnosed with the condition last year and has found the change in lifestyle during the pandemic very challenging.
The support that Alzheimer’s Society provides is fantastic, and so is its research into prevention and treatment strategies for the future.
Hot June day
We ran the bake sale from mid-morning to early afternoon, and again in the late afternoon. It was a boiling hot June day, and we were lucky that a neighbour donated the use of their gazebo to try and shade the chocolate toppings!
I made most of the cakes and biscuits for the day, and there were some stand-out cupcakes donated by a neighbour. I also filled a jar with sweets and had a competition to guess how many there were.
To maintain social distancing, I put traffic cones 2m away from the cake table and served everyone while wearing gloves and a cupcake mask handmade by my sister. People also donated through a JustGiving page.
Community spirit
We raised an amazing amount – almost £1,000 – and had loads of fun doing it. I met people in the surrounding area who I wouldn’t have otherwise met. People were sharing stories about the local area and memories of their relatives with dementia.
The highlight had to be people running down the street to get the last of the sourdough bread and rocky road… oh, and a little pug enjoying my homemade dog star treats!
Not only was it a great way of raising money for an outstanding charity, it also encouraged a sense of community spirit, which is so vital with the year that we have had.
Host a Cupcake Day
This year Cupcake Day is on Thursday 17 June but you can host your day whenever it suits you best.