Fancy a cooking challenge? Get ready for the 'bake-in' competition we can all enjoy in lockdown

South Shields chef Colin Burgin-Plews has come up with a great idea to get the North East’s keen cooks showing off their excellent baking skills during the lockdown.

He is launching a new ‘just for fun’ competition called the Great Online Iso-Bake-in and it gets under way on Monday, May 4.

The idea is that people bake delicious treats at home and then send photos to the Iso-Bake-in page on Facebook where Colin will judge each entry.

The top three each week will be sent a winners spoon and a certificate.

Colin is famous for his fundraising as Big Pink Dress and he has raised more than £120,000 for charity in five years since he started tackling events such as the Great North Run and London Marathon.

But he is also a chef who has been in the trade for more than 32 years and said: “It is a fun online baking weekly competition for adults and children.“I've been a chef for 32 years and although I won't be able to taste, I can tell a good bake.”

He stressed the Bake-In was ‘just for fun’ and added: “At this time of uncertainty, I wanted to give folk some laughs and a chance to show off their baking skills or disasters. The kids can get involved too.”

Colin has never stopped thinking of others during the pandemic.

Early in April this year, he did the 10k Rainbow Dress NHS Walk to thank the health heroes who saved his life when he was diagnosed with heart problems in June 2019.

He walked past the homes of people in lockdown to raise money for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

And just days ago, he finished the equivalent of the London Marathon on his treadmill to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

To find out how you can join in with the baking contest, visit the Great Online Iso-Bake-in page on Facebook.

For the latest coronavirus updates, case numbers and inspiring stories during the lockdown, visit the Shields Gazette website.

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