TV’s Sam Nixon backs South Yorkshire hospice's virtual bake-off

Barnsley Hospice is losing £2,300 a day due to the Covid-19 crisis, and has launched an urgent appeal for funds.

Barnsley lad Sam - of Pop Idol, Celebrity MasterChef and CBBC’s Junior Bake Off fame - has remained true to his town roots and is supporting the launch of the Bake Off for the third time.

He recorded a special message to his social media followers to encourage them to take part, saying: “Please get involved if you can and raise some much-needed funds for Barnsley Hospice.”

Sam Silverwood, fundraising manager at Barnsley Hospice, said: “We are thrilled to have Sam’s support again this year, albeit in very different circumstances.

“We know that during the lockdown many people have been perfecting their baking skills, so it’s a chance for them to show off their best bakes while raising some vital funds for the hospice.”

To enter the Barnsley Hospice virtual bake off, simply bake something delicious, post it to the Barnsley Hospice Facebook page or email [email protected], donate £5 and nominate five people to take part.

The hospice will choose a winner on their Facebook page.

The hospice needs to raise over £2m each year to fund patient care and support for families. A further £1.6m is provided by the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).