And another party!

Another party in Salisbury, lasting the whole day, did fantastically well.  This is the write up and photo, thank you Di and Nicki, Harrison's Great Auntie and Granny, Amah, spreading awareness and raising a brilliant amount too.  We all appreciate the enthusiasm and effort needed to make these parties a success!

"My sister Di, put on a cake time party last Saturday in her home near Salisbury. She had a coffee and cake in the morning and tea and cake in the afternoon. I took all my crafty bits down as well. We had a steady stream of people come through all day and while the total wasn't as big as some of the cake time parties, I think we did quite well. Di took over £150.00 and I took £147.00, so nearly £300.00. She had worked very hard to make it a good day and even had her laptop set up for people to see Alex and Donna's video at home telling them about Harrison which I thought was brilliant, so the people knew exactly what it was all about.  I did take a photo, but unfortunately it was only my stall, but I have still attached it for you. I didn't think to take photos of the cake time parties. It was a most enjoyable day."

From an autumnal Salisbury we are jetting off to the balmy warmth of Dubai where Harrison's Auntie Kate hosted an outdoor cake time party with the Dubai Netball League at the Emirates Sevens Stadium on the 7th November . (Please blow some of the warm air this way)

Auntie Kate is amazing, she has set herself the challenge of swimming around "The World" islands in Dubai to raise £20,000 for Harrison's Fund.  That is a swim of 25km, an ultra marathon which will take at least 10 hours to complete in jelly fish infested waters!  She is now ready, fully trained and fit to take on the challenge which will start at dawn on the 21st November, a week today!  Please read all about her challenge here . You can also see a map of her route here  If you use Twitter please follow her, @swimaroundworld, and give her lots of support before her epic and very scary challenge.  Don't forget, you can sponsor her here

More parties and photos tomorrow, don't forget it's not too late to have a party, nobody wants to be a party pooper!!

Party, Party, Party....

There have been some brilliant parties happening around the globe, so this week we're going to give you a little flavour of them. As you'll probably soon be thinking why didn't I hold one, we'll just remind you it's not too late and all the information is here and a fundraisers' pack can be on it's way to you in a flash! 
 
Pearlfisher, an award winning design company that created the branding for Harrison's Fund, held the first fundraiser when the charity launched at the beginning of the year in their own inimitable style. Having produced a brilliant cake time party fundraiser's pack that many of you have received, they, of course, decided to hold their own style of party!  Have a look at the pics below...
Big thank you to Pearlfisher, doing it in style, as always.
 

 

 
 
 

 

Another great party held last week was in Essendon, Hertfordshire.  Christabel, has known Harrison's Dad, Alex, since he was 4 and we're sure can tell a few interesting tales.  Of course, she was very keen to support Harrison's Fund and loved the idea of holding a Cake Time Party and inviting both  her friends and the local community.  She raised an absolutely amazing £1030 and really enjoyed the morning, these are her words below although the part that really made us giggle has been put in italics.

 

Essendon Harrison's Cake Time Party

I am so excited to let you know that we raised £1030, including donations from people who could not attend, for my Cake Time Party, held at my home in Essendon, Hertfordshire.

It was so lovely to open my home to friends and neighbours who all entered into the spirit of things fantastically making such a fun morning. People arrived armed with all sorts of cakes and biscuits, items for the bring and buy and presents for the raffle. I had so many generous donations for the raffle including a voucher from our local beauty salon and even a two tickets for a Buddy Holly tribute evening at our local nursery. Those who arrived early were given jobs and I had two brilliant helpers on the coffee side of things and the washing up afterwards! How could you ever manage without such willing volunteers.

Lots of chatter and laughter filled my home and we even had two very brave men arrive late, during the raffle draw, who I managed to pull inside, fleece them of their money, give them some cake and they quickly gave their best wishes and left much to the dismay of my naughty ladies who thought I had provided entertainment!!

I am so grateful to all who came to support Harrison's Fund, for their generosity and spirit, it was a lovely, happy morning.

 

Thank you, Christabel, and your lovely helpers and visitors, sounds like a fabulous fun morning.

 

There will be more about the parties in the next few days so look out for new posts.

 

Make Time for Cake Time or Cake Time to Make Time....

One day to Cake Time Party week!

More updates today and some reminders of where you can support Cake Time Party over the weekend but first a little moment in life from Alex and Harrison that touches our hearts and makes us all work harder at raising funds and hope more people will join us in our race to make time for this generation of Duchenne boys.

"Last night Harrison asked me, 'Daddy, why do we need Harrison's Fund, I don't understand?'
...Cue palpitations and mild panic...

'Well, you know how you take medicine for your poorly muscles?

.... 'Yeah daddy...'

'Harrison's Fund is there to raise money to try and help make your muscles better and all the other children like you'

'...Oh, okay then'

'You know you can ask me any questions you want, any time?'

'...Yeh, that's cool Daddy'

Convo ends and life goes on, but it won't be too long till the questions get harder. Stay little please H!"

 

We'd love to see you

 

In Cobham, Surrey, Village Hall 3rd Nov, 10.30-12.30 Cakes, Crafts & lots of childrens' activities.

10 -12 am 2nd November John Hampden Primary School, Thame, Oxon
Organiser: Liz Smailes

10.30 - 1pm 3rd November Holy Trinity Church Hall, Claygate, Surrey
Organiser: Sherry Secker  Also Cakes, Crafts & childrens' activities.


Our Cake Time Party is spreading right round the world.  A party in Melborne Australia has raised £360 pounds and their spread of cakes looks exciting, some recipes we wouldn't mind sharing! Love the purple hearts!

 

 

Katie from South London who we talked about in an earlier post has raised £200 and baked over 300 cupcakes, with friends Louise and Lucy adding another 80 cupcakes!  That must have kept school going rather well, we all love a little treat to keep us going, don't we?  Thank you Katie, Louise and Lucy for making time for cake time.  A big Harrison smile coming your way!

 

 

 

We have lot of Cake Time Parties happening all across the country from Scotland to Devon, Suffolk to Dorset, Leicestershire to London, we are so chuffed that we are covering the country in cake to be enjoyed together while helping to make time for all the Duchenne boys...Thank you ;-)

 

 

 

Katie's cupcakes sales a hit at school...

Earlier in the summer we ran a big awareness campaign supported by the launch of a video featuring Harrison and his family discussing the impact of Harrison's Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy diagnosis.  Since that time we have had so many contacts, donations, and offers to take on a challenge to fundraise for Harrison's Fund that it has really touched everyone close to Harrison and his family.

Yesterday we heard about Katie who has been making cupcakes - and we mean lots of cupcakes! She is selling them at her school to raise money for Harrison's Fund.  Katie is a gorgeous 15 year old from London who attends the Sacred Heart School in Hammersmith.  Katie watched the Harrison's Fund awareness video with her dad Michael and decided she wanted to do something to help. 



Katie loves baking cakes, her speciality is a lovely chocolate one that her Dad is rather partial to, and she is now quite an experienced baker, and decided that this was the way to raise money.  She's teamed up with her friend Louise who also loves to bake and they've raised over £40 on their first day with more days to come.

Here's the 70 cupcakes on their way into school today, don't they look delicious!

From everyone at Harrison's Fund and especially Harrison who always send a big smile to a pretty lady, a big thank you to Katie and her Dad for making time to watch the video together.

If you would like to help Harrison's Fund and join the Cake Time Party, we now have a great support pack complete with invitations, cut out bunting, recipes and lots more that we can email to you. Just send an email to Cake Time and we'll do the rest, and as Mel and Sue say, 1,2,3 let's bake!

Make Time for Cake Time...

Great British Bake Off Darlings support Cake Time Party

It's Tuesday or more precisely it's Great British Bake Off Tuesday, WooHoo!

We're planning to make some Soda Bread using Old Blue Eye's perfect recipe, never fails and then we're going to make some three fruits marmalade, grapefruit, orange, lemon to sell at the weekend at my local producers market, followed by Millionaire's Shortbread which We've never made before but want to try to see if it might also be on the list of bakes for the market.  We will have to try the shortbread so that could just possibly be when we settle down to watch the semis this evening, you've got to have a little something to watch, haven't you, and it is for a good cause, isn't it?

So while We're thinking about my baking we want to also thank Cathryn Dresser and Sarah-Jane Willis, everyones darlings and the great british public's star bakers from this series of Great British Bake Off for supporting Harrison's Cake Time Party with a fabulous recipe for Rhubarb Upside Down Cake, which we think may well be next on our baking list!  Lovely to have fruit in cake, makes it so easy to be sure they are virtuous, healthy and calorie free as they must be part of your five a day, don't you agree?

So do have a look at their recipe here and don't forget to let us know about your party so that we can add it to the news and we can cover the country in cake.

Make Time for Cake Time....

Holding a Harrison's Cake Time Party at work

I thought that you might be interested to see this great idea for running a Cake Time Party in the workplace. One of our lovely fundraisers, Anna, came up with this idea to hold in her team, SITSS, which is part of Children's Services, Herts CC. 

1. Set a convenient date for your Harrison's Cake Time Party.
2. Send out an invitation email to everyone asking for them to take part in a Cake Time Challenge by baking and bringing to work a cake on the Cake Time Party day. Ask for confirmation back of those willing to bake a cake so you know how many cakes you have on the party day, they can of course make more than one! Make a small charge, perhaps £1, for entering the challenge.
3. Include in the email that if they cannot/don't want to make a cake, not to worry as all the cakes entered will be sold on the day and so they can make their donation by buying a slice or more of the cakes.
4. Do tell everyone why you are raising money for Harrison's Fund, take a look at www.harrisonsfund.org for more information about the charity.
5. Send me an email to let me know you are holding a party and I'll send you the fundraisers pack to download.
6. Put up posters to remind everyone about your Cake Time Party.
7. Maybe persuade the bosses to donate a couple of small prizes for the winner and runner up of the challenge.
8. On the day set up a table for all the bakes, with plates, napkins etc, and enjoy!

Make Time for Cake Time

Coffee Morning Cake Ideas for your Cake Time Party

I sometimes think it is harder to decide what to bake for a coffee morning than it is for a tea party. Of course cake is perfect but maybe creamy or rich ones, a bit early in the day, do you think?  Haha I can hear you all saying how can it be too early?  Okay, well I covered those in a previous post :-)   So, for those of you wanting some different ideas here are a few that are may be less trouble than jam doughnuts or chocolate tea cakes, I am presuming that you watch Great British Bake Off, and have seen the trials and tribulations of making both of those delicacies?  Didn't you just want to take a bite out of those jam doughnuts and didn't you just feel for the lovely Cat Dresser when her tea cakes went wrong? Oh My Giddy Aunt!

Ideas:

Coffee & Walnut Cake - lovely recipe from John Thwaite on the recipe page here

Portuguese Custard Tarts - These are absolutely delicious and not difficult to make, recipe also on the recipe page of the blog.

Millionaires Shortbread - as decadent as you like!

Brownies - recipe on the recipe page here and in the Cake Time Recipe Book which can be purchased here

Apple Cake - this is the perfect time of year to be using apples and is just as good with wind fall apples if you have any.

Cookies - Chocolate Chip, Oat and Raisin, Peanut Butter!

Do you need a fundraiser's pack for your Cake Time Party?

We now have a great fundraiser's pack full of useful resources and fun ideas available.  From posters and invites to cake stencils and recipes we've got it covered, whatever you need to hold a Cake Time Party at home or work or for a Cake Sale in a hall we've got everything you need apart from the cake!

Please send me an email via www.harrisonsfund.org, leave a comment on this blog, tweet me on Twitter, @jennijjs, I'm here and can email you a pack in a flash!

Make Time for Cake Time.....

GBBO's John Whaite supports Cake Time Party

Another Great British Bake Off contestant John Whaite has agreed to support Harrison's Cake Time Party. John is now in the last 4 of the contest and was Star Baker in the second episode when their technical challenge was Paul Hollywood's daunting eight strand loaf.

You can follow him on Twitter @JohnWhaiteBakes and do take a look at John Whaite's blog 

So his recipe is for a gorgeous Coffee & Walnut Cake which has a lovely rich flavour great for a morning Cake Time Party, but then maybe it would be just as delicious at Tea Time, and then again, I think it would also be perfect made as a square cake and cut into neat little squares to eat with a glass of something bubbly.  So there you are perfect anytime of day.

Cake Time Party in the News!

The Surrey Advertiser, a great supporter of Harrison's Fund, have featured a picture of Harrison with his brother William about to devour chocolate cake, along with a great article on the upcoming Cake Time Party.

Today was the time to support the Macmillan Coffee Morning, a fantastic event raising much needed funds to help people affected by cancer.  We wish everyone involved every success.  

We hope that having been inspired by the fun of meeting up with friends, family, colleagues to share a drink, cake and a natter that they'll be ready in 5 weeks time to get together again and really get the cakes out to celebrate the first Harrison's Cake Time Party!

And if you were unable to be involved today, then there is even more reason to get involved with the Harrison's Cake Time Party as cake is very definitely the hero of the show!

Surrey Advertiser supports Harrison's Cake Time Party

Cobham Cake & Craft Fair supporting Harrison's Cake Time Party

The Cobham Cake & Crafts Fair is being held from 10:30-12:30 on Saturday 3rd November at Cobham Village Hall as part of the Harrison's 'Cake Time Party'.

Do please put the date in your diary, and join us for a great morning with masses of activities to keep the little ones busy and plenty of gorgeous stands to tempt you to make an early start on your xmas present shopping and take home some delicious goodies for tea.

*Stalls selling beautiful crafted items for babies, children & the home, hand-crafted jewellery, books, kitchen and pamper products, including:

Stella & Dot Jewellery

Jacks Mummy Made It

Signature-Prints handmade silver fingerprint jewellery

Baba Nappy Cups

Hand massages and products from Neals Yard Organics

Usborne Books

My Secret Kitchen

Jamie at Home

Phoenix Cards

Clarion Photography

Jack's Mummy Made It

*Christmas crafts & decorations

*Tables stacked high with delicious homemade cakes, cookies, cupcakes, jams, honey & sweets! With contributions from the baking enthusiasts of the Cobham Clandestine Cake Club.

*Children's crafts, activities & traditional games, including:

Piggy bank & mug decorating

Face painting

Glitter tattoos

Mini-manicures

Chocolate tombola

Popcorn making

Name bead necklaces

Ice-your-own cupcake

Guess the weight of the cake

Lucky cupcake

How many sweets in the jar?

Christmas decorations painting

*Raffle with some fabulous prizes donated by The Art of Living, O2, Ruth's Emporium, The Larder at the Medicine Garden and many more.

*Children's 'Firework' themed art competition with prizes for the winners in the categories of Under-5s, 5-8 year olds and 9 years old +

The Cobham Cake & Crafts Fair is shaping up to be a really fun community event for children & adults alike! And a great opportunity to get some early Christmas shopping in while raising funds & awareness for a great cause!

 

Tea Party Cake Ideas - my favourites!

Tea Party Cake Ideas - my favourites!

I thought it might be an idea to suggest some cake ideas suitable for the different times that you could have a Cake Time Party.  So I'm starting off with a traditional Tea Party.

An experienced cook or if you're in a rush and prefer to pop out to buy some cakes, my suggestions would beany of these:

• Cupcakes, dainty and pretty with lots of colour
• Macaroons, they can also be in different flavours and colours but my ultimate favourite is Chocolate with a ganache filling.
• Coffee Eclairs, actually not as difficult to make as you would think.
• Shortbread, lots of different flavour combinations work well
• Millionaires Shortbread, very decadent and delicious
• Battenburg, not to be taken on to bake by the faint hearted!

If you'd like to bake some simpler but equally delicious cakes then I'd suggest:

• Chocolate Cake, Harrison's Favourite
• Coffee and Walnut Cake
• Apple Cake
• Chocolate Brownies
• Cookies that have a nice squidgy centre
• Victoria Sandwich with Cream and Fruit

What do you think?  Let me know if you have other suggestions.  A lot of these recipes are in the Cake Time Book but I will also be adding some to the recipe page here so do keep having a little look for updates here.

Happy Baking and Cake Eating!  Make Time.....

Italian Apple Cake

Cake Time Party Takes Off

Natasha Stringer was a finalist in this year's Great British Bake Off and she's given us a wonderful Lemon, Passion fruit and Elderflower cake recipe for you to try as part of your Harrison's Cake Time Party menu - thank you Tasha it looks fab & tastes even better!
It's a 3 layered vanilla sponge, with lemon curd between one layer and passion fruit jam and butter cream between the next layer. The cake's decorated with a simple cream cheese and mascarpone frosting, flavoured with elderflower cordial, a subtle but fresh flavour.
Go on, you know you want to!
Natasha also writes a lovely food blog  that's full of fabulous cake recipes, just click on Tasha's Temptations to have a look and find more of her fantastic cake recipes.

We're having a Cake Time Party!

Do you like eating cakes?

Silly question, of course you do, then join Harrison's Cake Time Party in the first week of November, eat lots of cake and raise some money for Harrison's Fund at the same time.

Click on the Party Invitation tab at the top of the page to find out more. 

We need your help to cover the country in cake, because the more cake we all eat at Harrison's Cake Time Party, the more money we can raise to find a cure for Duchenne.

Please help us to make time to find that cure.

Thank you!