A HELENSBURGH tearoom owner is looking for a talented young baker to create a 'rainbow cake' to say thank you to the area's NHS workers.

Melanie Andrews, from Craigard Tearoom in Sinclair Street, launched a social media search at the weekend, looking for someone aged between 5 and 21 to create a special cake showing off the rainbow icon which has become indelibly linked in recent weeks with messages of thanks and support to people working on the medical front line during the coronavirus pandemic.

Melanie told the Advertiser: "I was sitting in my car the other day behind a really, really dirty old truck, and I suddenly noticed that someone had painted, free hand, a great big NHS rainbow in the dust – and the whole thing just totally cheered me up.

"The way everybody is getting together to show their thanks and support to the NHS during the pandemic is just great, and at first I thought I'd go home and bake a cake for our NHS staff in Helensburgh.

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"But then I thought 'why not get the community to do it?'. And unfortunately, from what I'm hearing a lot of young people are getting really fed up being stuck at home and not being able to see their friends during the lockdown, so I thought I'd ask them to do it – because cakes and baking are just the best way to get you out of yourself."

Melanie's tearoom is closed because of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, though she remains busy making and delivering cakes and afternoon teas to elderly and vulnerable residents in Helensburgh and the surrounding area.

"The winner's cake will be pictured and put on display on my car," she continued, "so people will be able to see it while I'm out and about doing deliveries – and I'm doing a roaring trade just now."

The only stipulation, Melanie says, is that she'd like to see the cake comprise a variety of coloured sponges on the inside – though all seven colours of the rainbow are not compulsory! – while the decoration of the outside is entirely up to you.

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"The entrants can be as creative as they want," Melanie added.

"I'm just trying to cheer people up – and whether you're a young baker or just someone who sees the winning entry on my car when it passes by, I hope it works."

The winning entry, as well as being pictured on Melanie's car for all to see, will be handed over for front-line staff at the town's Covid-19 assessment centre at the Victoria Integrated Care Centre to enjoy.

Pictures of your competition entry, or entries, can be sent by private message to the 'Craigard Bakery and Take-Away' page on Facebook by this Monday, May 4, at the latest, along with a contact telephone number and the entrant's name and age.

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