Sussex Bake Down is a group of volunteer cake bakers who have a passion for baking and helping others. Sussex Bake Down believe that home baking provides love and joy to all those who make and receive bakes and their team of volunteers have been making and delivering delicious bakes to our residents and staff in our supported housing projects. Recently they have also started baking birthday cakes for young residents in high support housing in Brighton and Hove.
Emma* a YMCA DownsLink Group resident celebrating her 18th birthday was overwhelmed and tearful and said, “no one’s ever done something like this for me before.” Our project workers were also teary-eyed by the kindness and absolutely amazed by the quality of the cakes.
Cathy, a baker in the Sussex Bake Down group even created a 21st birthday cake with one days notice after finding out a YMCA DownsLink Group resident was turning 21.
The bakers in the group kindly donate both their time and ingredients out of their own pocket because they know the joy home baking, particularly for a special occasion, can bring. Especially for people who have never had a birthday cake made for them before.
“We want to show our support for local people by baking delicious treats for them to enjoy as part of the weekly food parcel supplied by their food bank.” a member of the group said.
In addition to the amazing birthday cakes Sussex Bake Down have created, they have also been regularly gifting our residents with smaller, simple, homemade bakes such as ginger cakes, cookies, muffins, buns, lemon drizzle cakes – the list goes on! Sometimes delivering over 250 cakes in a week to the local community.
Alex, admin of the Facebook Group said: “We are always looking for new bakers. If you, or anyone you know would like to join us, or, if you can help in any other way (e.g. the supply of packaging or ingredients) please join our Facebook Group”.
The entire team at YMCA DownsLink Group want to say a huge thank you. We just cannot thank you enough for bringing a smile to absolutely everyone in the project. We also want to say thank you on behalf of all the projects you have been baking for. Your support makes such a difference.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of residents.
Youth Homelessness
Every year we support over 10,000 children, young people and their families operating from our centres in Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne, Guildford, Mid Sussex, Hastings, Horsham, Crawley and Worthing. We are the biggest provider of youth services in the South East and work to tackle the root causes of youth homelessness. If you’d like to support our work to transform the lives of young people facing homelessness DONATE HERE. Or, if you would like to offer longer-term support, consider becoming a ROOM SPONSOR and give a vulnerable young person in your community the chance of a brighter future.
