The winners and runners-up of this year’s Wellingborough Bake Off.
The Great British Bake Off may be on the move but organisers of Wellingborough’s own version of the hit show have said it will remain a focal point of the town centre calendar.
Just days after it was announced Channel 4 had snared the programme from the BBC, more than 60 amateur bakers got a slice of the action in the town’s annual cooking challenge held at Gloucester Place on Saturday, 17 September.
Contestants rose to the challenge, whipping up delicious culinary delights in six different categories including a special Olympics-themed category.
Afterwards lucky visitors at the event were able to buy the sweet delights and a drink at Wellingborough’s first coffee afternoon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, raising almost £400 in the process.
John Cable, Manager of the Wellingborough BID, which stages events to promote the town centre through its Discover Wellingborough campaign said: “The Great British Bake Off might be on the move, but we’re going nowhere.
“Once again the standards were high and the cakes spectacular. The event was a real celebration of Wellingborough, with the community coming together and the town centre buzzing with the delight and excitement of The Great Wellingborough Bake Off.”
The judging team was given the tough task of deciding on a winner and runner up in each category.
| Category | Winner | Highly commended |
| Olympic | Tina Henderson | Jennifer Kwarteng |
| Victoria sponge | Lisa Kightley | Michelle Baddock |
| Chocolate cake | Ana Matyas | Erika Bryant |
| Cup cakes | Erika Bryant | Natasha D’Amore |
| Children (12 to 16) | Christopher Foster | Abbie Williams |
| Under 12s | Isabel Bedells | Charlotte Foster |
Erika Bryant, of Little Harrowden, triumphed in cup cakes category and came second in the chocolate cake section to add to her prizes from previous years. She said: “It was amazing to win again. It’s such a nice competition for the people of Wellingborough and surrounding villages to take part in.”
Christopher Foster, aged 13, from Stanwick, won the children’s category with a chocolate chai cake made with herbs from Wellingborough. He said: “I didn’t care if I won, I entered to raise money for charity.”
Wellingborough Mayor Malcolm Waters, who helped to judge, said: “Another wonderful event for the town centre organised by the Wellingborough BID.”
It is the fourth cake competition which has been organised by the Wellingborough BID to find Wellingborough’s star baker.