A pair of local home bakers have cooked up a new recipe book to raise funds for a Newcastle cancer care centre. Jen Anderson and Eve Montgomerie have been baking treats for visitors to Maggie's in the grounds of the Freeman Hospital for years.

Now, with the help of another centre visitor, Newcastle-based photographer and designer Michaela Simpson, they have committed some of their favourite recipes to print. Their new book - Our Best Bakes - features 23 recipes including cheese scones, banana bread, coconut cake and chocolate tiffin.

And among the fans who has tried them out is celebrity chef Si King, who has written a foreword for the new book.

"The recipes are full of love, comfort, care, knowledge and nostalgia," writes Si. "The book represents exactly what food is about."

Maggie's Newcastle Centre Head Karen Verrill said: "The idea for this book was sparked several years ago by a chance conversation about cheese scones. Jen who has been volunteering for Maggie's since 2016 kindly shared her much-loved recipe with Michaela during one of her visits to Maggie's.

"Fast forward to 2024 - another visit, another cheese scone - and the idea of creating a recipe book was born, starting with this much-loved favourite."

The trio combined their skills to produce the new book, which was published with support from Hut on the Green in Gosforth. Jen described baking as a 'lifelong passion' and she has grown and adapted her collection of recipes over the years.

"Each week I bring in homemade treats for visitors to enjoy over a cuppa. These bakes often spark conversations, offering a comforting way for people to connect, especially when words are hard to find."

Eve has been supporting Maggie's since 2010 after her own treatment for breast cancer. She also ran a baking group that raised over £1,000 a month at the Freeman.

Michaela said: "Creating this recipe book with Jen and Eve has meant more than I can say. It's been a great way to give something back.

"Having navigated cancer in my own life and alongside my husband, I've known fear, fatigue and deep uncertainty. But I've also known the power of kindness. Of places that feel like home. Maggie's has been that place."

Copies of the book are available for a donation of £10 (plus postage and packing if not collecting) from the Maggie's centre at the Freeman Hospital, email [email protected] or call 0191 2336605. All the profits are donated to Maggie's.

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