A baker from Knaresborough has raised £1,000 for St Michael's Hospice after 5 weeks of bake sales.
Karen Ibbotson, affectionately known by residents as ‘the cake lady’, has been baking every week since 21st January to raise money and awareness for the hospice.
As a carer, Karen was inspired to start her campaign after a lady she cared for sadly passed away following a battle with cancer.
She vowed to raise £1,500 for the hospice throughout the year - and has already raised more than £1,000.
Karen told Your Harrogate:
“I have a couple of people I look after and sadly one of those ladies lost her fight with cancer, so she was my inspiration.
“It’s just such a good cause. St Michael’s are excellent and I’m sure there’s lot of people that have had loved ones pass on at the hospice.”
Baking at her home on Trinity Fields in Knaresborough, Karen has been taking her cakes and scones to local businesses and advertising them through Facebook.
She’s had help from a number of businesses, including weekly donations of ingredients from her local Lidl supermarket.
And Karen’s husband, Kevan, works at Vantage Toyota in Knaresborough, where the staff have become regular cake sale customers.
Karen said:
“I used to bake when my children were very young! My grandma, my mum and my aunt were always very good bakers.
“I had a stall on Knaresborough Market for many years too.
“It makes me so happy that I can use the skills I’ve got, both on the caring side and the baking side, to do what I enjoy doing.”
Having donated £868 to St Michael’s Hospice last weekend, Karen has raised £150 so far this week.
She’s vowed to continue baking and intends to beat her initial target of £1,500.
Pateley Bridge to host first New Year's Day cyclo-cross event
Harrogate MP welcomes government U-turn on family farm inheritance tax
Santa Paws: Festive photo competition winners revealed
DalesBus reveals timetable over Christmas period
Festive tractor run raises £45,000 for charity
CCTV appeal after Ripon shop theft
Yorkshire Vet Julian Norton meets fans in Harrogate
Santa delivers gifts to Harrogate children on all-electric sleigh
Rudy's Pizza set to open new Harrogate restaurant
75-year-old Ripon cyclist completes epic birthday challenge
Miriam Margolyes to visit Harrogate as part of upcoming tour
Towns must see benefits of any tourist tax, warns Harrogate MP
Police appeal for wanted man who could be in Ripon
Harrogate school 'takes Law into its own hands' with rare A Level course
CCTV appeal after motorbike stolen in Harrogate
Specsavers Harrogate hosts free after-hours clinic for homeless residents
Man charged following Pateley Bridge hit-and-run
Banyan in Harrogate set to close
Knaresborough boys 'devastated' after beloved cat goes missing
Knaresborough tug-of-war tradition to return on Boxing Day
