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Cookery challenge inspires budding bakers at Carr Hill Primary School - and the wider community!

Carr Hill Primary School, in Retford, are keen to promote healthy eating and help people improve their cookery skills.

Their Headteacher, Sally Alford, asked Catering Manager Dawn Parsons if she would mind setting up a ‘Cookery Challenge’ for their pupils during the lockdown. She did so, and also set up a Facebook group which now has more than 600 members, with people sharing recipes and many trying baking for the first time.

The Reverend Kate Bottley, who lives locally, judged the first week’s competition. Dawn was given prizes from many local businesses, including Morrisons, who donated almost 300 Easter eggs, which were delivered to the school children.

The challenge, originally a one-off, was so successful that Dawn is now running them every week. A local cookery school, the School of Artisan Food, has donated some flour for people to collect on their daily walks to help with the baking.

The group has helped keep the school community together and spread some joy to people in difficult times, and now reaches far wider than the school.

Dawn was featured on the BBC’s ‘Saturday Kitchen’ TV programme in April, as part of their ‘Local Heroes’ feature.

A big thank you to Dawn and everyone involved!