Tomas Spacil for City News
Cupcakes were made from scratch during the event, before being extensively decorated.

The Bake, Bond And Breathe event, led by nutritionist Sibyl Duado, aimed to offer Hounslow women a space to socialise and relax through baking and decorating.

Hogarth Youth & Community Centre in Chiswick hosted the women’s-only class.  Around 15 attendees decorated gingerbread, baked muffins, and made fruit yoghurt together.

Duado offered stress management tips, and resources were present to direct women towards charities and the NHS for help on a wide range of issues, such as domestic abuse, nutrition, and general health.

HappyHer, a local initiative which supports women’s wellbeing, organised the session.

NHS and Healthy Hounslow pamphlets on a table with some eggs, butter, flour, and icing sugar present. There is also a single gingerbread man on a plate.
Information about local NHS health services and council resources was also available.

An individual effort

Sibyl Duado leads this initiative and secured the funding for these events from Hounslow Council’s Thriving Communities Fund. This fund supports community groups in Hounslow to run projects and activities much like this one.

Duado, a registered nutritionist who has worked with the NHS, started these activities on her own and is pressing ahead with further plans as the sole organiser.

She said: “It’s just a great opportunity for women to come down to meet other people and find out what other services are available for them. If they need help with mental health they can find out how to get in touch with Mind, or to seek talking therapy from the NHS.

There’s a lot of people who’ve been suffering since the pandemic and they’ve been isolated. So just coming to an event like this allows them to meet other people, socialise and network.”

Three decorated cupcakes on a paper plate on a plastic wrapped table. In the background are three icing containers, two undecorated cupcakes on a paper plate, a buttercream container, and a coffee cup.
Cupcakes were the main focus, with all taking part in decorating and eating them.

A ‘distraction’ for Hounslow women

Families and women of all ages were present at the event. Two bakers led the cooking and decorating, with all participating.

Lorena, who attended the event said it served as a welcome distraction from everyday worries for women.

“I do think it’s a distraction for women, from their families and problems at home or from their day-to-day or school… it’s good to go back and see the same people every week and have a friendly chat with them”.

Duado is organising more classes as part of the HappyHer initiative. If all goes as planned, she hopes to expand the free service by offering arts and crafts and other family activities.