Chris Tarrant, former 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' host, celebrates Speen Community Cafe with Great Speen Bake Off competition

There was a buzz in the air at Speen Community Café as TV personality Chris Tarrant judged its ‘Great Speen Bake Off 2023’.

He had been invited to attend the event by Kerry Bird, founder of the café, which has been held inside The Starting Gate pub every Wednesday afternoon since November 2021.

“I just don’t know how I am going to choose between them all! They’re all fantastic,” said Mr Tarrant, who was joined by his partner Jane Bird to pick the best of the brownies, cakes and flapjacks.

After much deliberation, Kerry Rolls from Thatcham cake company ‘Cupcakes by Daisy’ helped Mr Tarrant to decide that the beautiful polar-themed cake by Catherine Butcher should be the overall winner.

Ms Butcher said she was “shocked, yet delighted” to win.

She added: “I can’t believe it, I’ve never made a cake like this before. Wow!”

She was presented with a £15 Camp Hopson voucher and a Speen Community Café mug.

Second place was awarded to 10-year-old Harry Bird, for his Victoria sponge, while third place went to Nathan Cousins for his mint chocolate flapjacks.

The event was attended by more than 60 people and there was also a huge table full of raffle prizes, which included wine, chocolates, gifts and hampers.

Mr Tarrant read out all the raffle ticket numbers, while Jane, helped people to choose a prize.

Mr Tarrant said he was “thrilled” to be able to help out at Speen Community Café after Jane met café founder, Kerry, when both families were hosting Ukrainian refugees.

“Kerry has been very kind at helping our Ukrainians to settle into life in Newbury – she even got one of them a job,” he said.

Sian Cousins, landlady at the Brummell Road pub, said: “This is a community pub, so when Kerry asked if she could hold a community café here, I agreed it would be a great thing to do for all the residents in Speen.

“Everyone is welcome to come along. It’s completely run by volunteers and donations, there’s always plenty of tea and coffee, homemade cakes and biscuits.

“Toys and colouring for the kids, they even get speakers in to do talks, provide craft activities and do some knitting lessons. It’s different each Wednesday, we get about 50-70 people each week now, it’s very popular.”

The Speen Community Café is held every Wednesday, from 2pm-5pm and this event was held on January 4.

You can find out more by emailing speencommunitycafe@gmail.com or search ‘Speen Community Café Group’ on Facebook.

All pictures by Richard Summersby Photography