Baking buddies is back!

Thursday February 18th 2021

These kids clearly had great fun making soda bread pizzas as part of the Baking Buddies project!

Baking Buddies, an exciting project for all the family developed at St Michael’s and St Stephen’s in Lower Shankill, Belfast, is back for four more weeks!

The project began in the autumn of 2020, sharing four recipes for children to try their hand at, and was followed by a Christmas edition with two more fun seasonal recipes. Now, Baking Buddies returns with four brand new recipes for children to try out at home with their families.

Canon Jim Carson, right, receives help from the Neighbourhood Police Team who deliver the Baking Buddies bags of goodies to families.

The Rev Canon Jim Carson, rector of St Michael’s and St Stephen’s said: “Thanks to funding from Belfast City Council and the Black Santa appeal, we can run four more weeks of Baking Buddies for our after-school club and Sunday school children.

“We are also very grateful to our Neighbourhood Police Team who support us in delivering our Baking Buddies bags of goodies to our young families. There is great excitement when they arrive!”

The Baking Buddies demonstration videos are produced by Karen Webb, Lead Evangelist with the North Belfast Centre of Mission, and Jill Hamilton, Diocesan Children’s Worker, and, most importantly, Jake and Rosie the puppets.

The new videos will be available to view on the St Michael’s Facebook page over the next four weeks with the first one available now. This recipe shows families how to make their own oven baked soda bread and how to use the soda bread dough as a base for making pizzas!

As part of the Baking Buddies project, families who register receive a pack each week with all the ingredients they need to make the recipe. The interest in Baking Buddies is growing in the local area and this time there are around 20 families registered to take part.

Jim said: “The project is a great way for the church to stay connected with the children and families in the local area who are normally involved in children’s clubs through the week and on Sundays. Baking Buddies has put a smile on everyone’s faces during a difficult time!”