Hundreds of visitors attended yesterday’s (7 April) Bakers’ & Butchers’ Spring Fair at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire.

The event, organised by British Baker and sister title Meat Trades Journal, featured a programme of stage demonstrations, including a practical sugarcraft session with last year’s Celebration Cake Maker of the Year, Sandra Monger.

She showed visitors how to create a vintage-inspired spray of flowers, ideal for celebration cakes, in time for the upcoming wedding season.

In addition, Graham Dunton and Tim Clarkson of Dawn Foods demonstrated the versatility of its Scoop & Bake range of frozen batters.

Special guest Christine Hamilton presented a bakery and butchery business masterclass, with Mike Holling, chairman of the National Association of Master Bakers, and Russell Allen, managing director of Coventry-based butcher Aubrey Allen.

The session answered questions on sourcing and the supply chain, in light of the horsemeat scandal, as well as looking at topics such as training staff, setting up a business and marketing.

Competition winners

The NAMB hosted its bakery competition on the day, with a special awards presentation taking place on the Bakers’ & Butchers’ Fair Stage. Christopher Freeman, president of the NAMB, alongside Christine Hamilton, awarded prizes to winners and runners-up.

This included Natasha Fudge of David Jenkins, who scooped the top prize for the Celebration Cake category, for her creation inspired by the impending birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby.

California Raisins also announced the four winners of its Bakery Competition, taking the top prize of a trip to California and Las Vegas, as well as the opportunity to display their winning bakery creations at the International Baking Industry Exposition in October.

To find out more about what happened at Bakers’ & Butchers’ Spring Fair, read 19 April issue of British Baker.

Bakers’ and Butchers’ Fair will return this autumn on Sunday 27 October, taking place at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate. Find out more by visiting www.bakersandbutchersfair.co.uk.

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