One good turn: Meet charity baker Emma Whitehead

Credit: William Lane Photography

Wedding cake maker Emma Whitehead has an interesting and inspiring story to tell when it comes to the reason she set up her charitable business. “I started baking for charity in a more focused way in November 2016. I had a ballot place in the 2017 London Marathon and I wanted to raise money for five charities close to my heart and my husband's – Great Ormond Street Hospital, JDRF, Mariposa Trust, Miscarriage Association and Tommy's,” she explains.

Emma kept the page going after the marathon until late in 2021 when Virgin Money Giving closed their fundraising platform. Over the five years she'd raised an incredible £8,754 (£10,247 with Gift Aid). At this juncture, she decided to start raising funds for a new charity, Bowel Cancer UK, in memory of a dear friend who sadly lost her battle with the disease.

Emma regularly invests in her skills and techniques, makes sure she's insured, keeps her food hygiene and safety qualifications current and notifies the local EHO that she bakes. As a venture outside of her full-time job, she gives her time, ingredients and materials, and her customers donate via her charity page. She continues, “I bake pretty much anything, but being trusted to make a wedding cake is always extra special – such a privilege although a little nerve-wracking!”

Follow Em's Charity Bakes and Cakes at www.instagram.com/ems_charity_bakes_and_cakes