Brighton baker delights NHS workers with impressive cakes

Beata Khoo, who runs My Sweet Passion Cakes, decided to start sending cakes to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton as a way to thank healthcare workers during the coronavirus crisis.

The 52-year-old, from Saltdean, said she was feeling low because of the pandemic when she had the idea.

She said: “My next door neighbour works at the hospital and she suggested that I should keep busy, as emotions were running high.

“I wanted to do something good to make a difference, so I started making a cake and then thought I would do one a week. I wanted to do a different one for all the staff.

“My cakes are a bit of art as well and I wanted to do something that would inspire myself.”

The first cake which Beata sent to the Royal Sussex County Hospital

Beata, who has won numerous awards, prides herself on designing and baking personalised cakes with great attention to detail.

She would normally provide cakes for weddings and other special occasions and events with her business, and although she is still baking for customers, demand has reduced during the crisis.

Her first cake for the NHS, which took four and a half days to complete, features rainbows and NHS staff holding up the world.

She said: “You can eat the figures as well, and each one took me seven hours to do, to get their expressions right.

“It’s nice to make the impossible possible.

“If I do something I always give it my best.”

Pharmacy staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital with Beata's cake

The first cake was delivered to pharmaceutical staff at the hospital on Monday and each week Beata will send a new cake with a different design to a different department.

She said: “The amount of people who have responded to this first cake has been amazing.

“The hospital rang me to say thank you and I’ve been over the moon with all the messages – I’ve had videos and lots of lovely pictures.

“It’s a good feeling to know you’ve made a difference.

A different department will enjoy one of Beata's cakes each week

“All the staff work so hard when a lot of us don’t really have to do anything and can just stay at home.

“We don’t know how lucky we are.”

• Local newspapers across Newsquest are joining forces to raise money for workers at the frontline of the healthcare crisis. Please donate whatever you can, and let us give a collective, united message to our NHS workers of our huge appreciation for their efforts. You can get involved and support our campaign by sharing our appeal and telling us why you are thankful for the NHS #ThankYouNHS on social media using the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-our-nhs-guardian-angels.