Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn will be joining Yorkshire Building Society colleagues and Marie Curie staff to brew up en masse in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Records title for the largest cream tea party in multiple venues in aid of Marie Curie.

The fundraising challenge will be held on Thursday, 25 June, across the Society’s main office sites in Leeds, Bradford, Peterborough and Cheltenham to raise money for the Society’s Hour of Need campaign, which will enable Marie Curie Nurses to provide even more vital support for people living with a terminal illness and their families across the UK.

The target to beat for the  for largest cream tea party in multiple venues stands at 536 participants and the Society is hoping to have more than 660 colleagues simultaneously taking part.

A cream tea party consists of tea being taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream, and jam.

Frances Quinn, winner of the Great British Bake Off, said: “As someone who knows a thing or two about scones it was an honour to be asked to start off the attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest cream tea party in aid of Marie Curie. It’s great to be involved in this exciting new fundraising challenge by Yorkshire Building Society, and the money raised is really important as it means Marie Curie nurses can provide support to even more people in their hour of need.” The attempt itself will be from 3pm – 3.20pm and will be taking place at YBS office on The Headrow in Leeds.frances-quinn

Chris Pilling, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society Group, said: “Everyone knows that we love our cream teas in Yorkshire, and as a Society we are committed to fundraising for Marie Curie, so it is a great way to combine these things and attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.

“The Hour of Need campaign is having a real impact on terminally ill people and their families in providing Marie Curie nursing support. We are aiming to raise half a million pounds over two years and funding 25,000 hours of Marie Curie nursing care is a massive motivation for all of us.”

The event is being backed by the Cream Tea Society and jam-maker Tiptree and Cornish clotted cream manufacturer Rodda’s, who have very generously agreed to provide the portions of strawberry jam and clotted cream for the record attempt.

The Society’s tea party will join others taking place across the country this June 20-29 as part of Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party fundraising.

An announcement on the outcome of the attempt will be made by Yorkshire Building Society on National Cream Tea Day on Friday 26 June.

Every £20 raised in Yorkshire Building Society’s Hour of Need campaign will fund one hour of care. The Society is aiming to raise £500,000 by December 2016, which equates to funding an hour of care by a Marie Curie Nurse for every hour of the campaign.

If you would like to make a donation to the campaign please visit www.justgiving.com/hourofneed

For more information on how to host your own Blooming Great Tea Party,  visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/teatime

About The Author

Catherine Scott is Associate Features Editor for Yorkshire Post Newspapers. A self-confessed foodie, she is also a judge of the Deliciousyorkshire/Yorkshire Post Taste Awards.

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