Exeter care home residents inspired by the Great British Bake Off

As the nation eagerly awaits the start of the Great British Bake Off 2019 this week, residents at RMBI Home Cadogan Court in Exeter have enjoyed a culinary competition of their own. 

With the support of the Home’s three chefs, the residents, all in their 80s and 90s, tried their hands at making traditional Cornish pasties.

Inspired by the hit TV series, the Home holds two Bake Off sessions a month with residents providing ideas about what they wish to make.   All the bakes are done in the morning with a tasting afternoon held for all the residents to taste and judge the creations.

Activities Coordinator, Luan Phillips, said: "Our residents love the Great British Bake Off, so we thought we’d create our own baking challenge. Some of them were already a dab hand at baking from scratch, while for others, including some of our gentlemen, it was a whole new experience. One of our bakers, Ted, is 91 and he had never baked before, so it just proves that it’s never too late to learn a new skill!”  

As well as being lots of fun for everyone, the sessions aim to encourage reminiscence among residents, which benefits both mental and physical health as we age.

Luan explains: “We talk around the table about what they used to cook or what their wives might have baked. The smell of the baking often prompts happy memories too, all of which has a beneficial effect.”

RMBI Home Cadogan Court is run by RMBI Care Co., part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. For more information please visit: http://www.rmbi.org.uk/