Aberdeen baker to host fundraiser with North East bakeries following breast cancer diagnosis

The head baker of an Aberdeenshire Café is rallying together seven of the best bakers in the North East to raise funds for an Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) unit.

Mechelle Clark is behind the idea of 'The Big Booby Bakesale' following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2022.

The 41-year-old, who is currently the head baker at Trellis Café in Aberdeenshire, previously owned the well-known grilled cheese shop, Melt, which closed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Six years ago, Mechelle was told she had the BRCA 1 gene, which can increase a woman's chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer.

During an annual screening it was discovered she had breast cancer.

Mechelle underwent a double mastectomy as well as an 18-hour reconstruction surgery in November 2022, but complications let to her developing sepsis and resulted in twelve other surgeries, with a further two expected.

The Big Booby Bakesale

Now, Mechelle is hosting the event to help raise vital funds for the Plastics and Burns Unit at ARI, who carry out mastectomies, highlighting she was "compelled" to help and support the "wonderful nurses and surgeons" who saved her life.

She said: “Several women on my father’s side have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer in the past. In 2022 during an annual check, the doctors discovered I had breast cancer and my whole world completely changed.

“I wanted to bring the best bakers in the region together to help raise funds for such a vital ward in ARI as I was compelled to help and support the wonderful nurses and surgeons who saved my life on several occasions. I’ll never be able to thank them for what they have done for me.

“As a baker the way I can give back is by doing what I do best, baking. This gathering of the ultimate bakers in the region will see everyone enjoy a day of bread, croissants and fundraising."

The head baker has recruited a tasty line-up including Bandit Bakery, Sourcloud Bakes, Feingeback, The Crusty Slice, The Highlanders Bakehouse, The Culinary Kiwi Bird and Parx Café who have offered their shop for the event on 5 May.

All of the bakers will donate their baked goods for the day for free to ensure as much money as possible can be raised for the unit.

It will help the ward purchase new state-of-the-art boxes that can be provided to patients on the ward ahead of their surgeries, and a 'doppler' which helps detect blood circulation in the breast.

Michelle added: “This is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to taste and purchase incredible products in one place and we’ll have so much on offer that those coming along to support will definitely leave more than satisfied.”