Jen’s sweet gesture for a fantastic charity
It’s always lovely to hear about the work that people do in the community to make other people’s lives a little better and I especially enjoy discovering charities that I previously didn’t know anything about.
I therefore really loved chatting to Jen Hopkins (The Rainbow Baker) from Alcester on BBC CWR, and hearing all about the work she does to put a smile on kids’ faces.
Jen decided to leave the rat race of the office world and, more recently, school life, where she was a teaching assistant to children with additional needs, to fulfil her desire to create wonderful things for other people.
Jen is not only a talented baker but she is a mum to three children, one of whom was born with a life-threatening heart condition and had open heart surgery as a baby, followed by a diagnosis of autism.
Although he is now 15 years old and doing well, the worry always hangs over the family’s heads that he may need further surgery one day.
It was with this in mind that when Jen saw an advert for Cakes for Heroes appealing for bakers, she jumped at the opportunity to join them, as they bake cakes free of charge and gift them to children aged between 2-17, with a life-limiting illness or life-altering disabilities.
Cakes for Heroes is a non-profit organisation set up by another mother (Joanne Howard) in Hull, when her own son was poorly.
They take nominations for cake recipients and match them to bakers in their local area and are always on the look out for more bakers to come on board as the number of requests for cakes increases.
For just the cost of ingredients and time to the assigned baker, gifting a cake brings a huge amount of joy to the recipient child and their family and that in itself is beyond priceless.
It was very clear from our conversation the passion that Jen has for baking and the work she does to brighten up the lives of young people means the absolute world to her.