30 November 2023
How one resident’s love of cooking has inspired a baking club at The Battery
Sheila Strover, a resident at The Battery in Newquay, started breadmaking a few months before lockdown and now teaches other residents how to make cakes and other baked goods. 
We serve over 65,000 residents across the country from all walks of life. With so many people living with us, there are plenty of opportunities to meet likeminded individuals who share similar interests. Below, you can read more about how Sheila’s newly found love of breadmaking piqued her fellow residents’ interest and why they have now formed a baking club in the communal kitchen.
In our rented properties, shared facilities complement each private residence and people can choose how much they want to be a part of the community. Discover more about the community feel of our rented properties.
Dr Sheila Strover took up the new hobby just before lockdown in 2020 after losing her son and realising she needed a new focus. She embarked on a breadmaking course at the Artisan Bakery School and she brought back loaves of fresh bread for other residents to enjoy.
Sheila continued making bread in her own apartment and as lockdown hit and buying bread became more difficult, she decided to increase production and left loaves of bread outside her neighbours’ front doors.
As lockdown restrictions were lifted, Sheila left fresh bread, butter, and condiments in the communal kitchen for residents to enjoy together. She even started leaving a few cakes for people to try.
Some residents expressed an interest in making cakes such as lemon drizzle, chocolate, and Victoria sponge, so Sheila moved her equipment to the communal kitchen and taught residents how to make them. Each baker supplied their own ingredients and Sheila talked them through each method – which was made much easier as she had recently purchased a Kitchen Aid.
Baking at The Battery has become quite the social activity as Sheila regularly shares her expertise and equipment with curious residents and they can enjoy their creations together afterwards. Sheila said:
I started leaving cakes in the communal kitchen after lockdown for my neighbours to try. A few of them said they’d like to learn to bake themselves and I enjoy helping them. I have a request from ‘the team’ for some Christmas treats and donations of ingredients continue to arrive at the door.
We can’t wait to see what residents make for Christmas. To find out more about The Battery, click here.
