Keswick guesthouse owners Sally & Keith Lunson have been overwhelmed by the number of their cookbooks sold to raise funds for the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

As soon as they took over ownership of Glencoe Guesthouse back in August 2014, Sally began making cakes for their guests to tuck into after a day of walking or cycling in the fells. “By 1^st October 2020 we had donated over £3700 from the donation box alone!” said Sally. “It seemed only logical that the next stage of fundraising was to create a recipe book enabling guests to bake the cakes for themselves at home, whilst still raising funds for the boys and girls who do such amazing work in the Lakeland fells.” It’s taken several years to get all the baking, photography and artwork done, but the book is now in print and is very professional, making it a perfect birthday or Christmas present as well as a one stop recipe book for any baker’s kitchen bookshelf.

Being keen walkers themselves, Sally & Keith decided that KMR was the perfect charity to receive the donations. The costs involved in the training, vehicle maintenance, equipment, etc. does not come cheaply to the KMR so all donations are really appreciated. “With fewer donations being made this year due to the COVID lockdown, the additional money raised from the cookbooks is a timely boost, so we decided to cover the cost of the printing for the first 100 copies so 100% of the sales was profit” Sally said. “We’re close to producing a revised edition with adverts from local businesses included which will cover the printing costs of an additional 200 copies”

Not sure how many books would be sold, Sally & Keith were delighted when the first print run of 100 sold out in less than 4 weeks, they are now on their 3^rd print run and £900 has already been handed over to KMR with more on it’s way very soon. Keith added: “The power of social media has added great impetus to the sales after a message on the Glencoe Guesthouse Facebook page was posted, and then again when KMR did the same on their page! We’ve even taken orders from Nova Scotia in Canada, nothing short of awesome news for the fundraising potential of this lovely book”

Sally has always enjoyed baking and the collection of 20 traditional cake recipes in the book have been used over and over again and include Victoria Sponge, Carrot Cake, Coffee & Walnut Sponge, Lemon Drizzle to name a few. Using ordinary ingredients that are readily available in all supermarkets, each recipe has a full page photo and several also have “Top Tips” included to vary or enhance the baking experience and many can be adapted for Gluten &/or Dairy Free diets.

In addition to guests and local people being able to buy the book for £8.99 from Glencoe Guesthouse, 21 Helvellyn Street, Tel: 017687 71016, copies are also currently available in Keswick from Bookends, Alternative, The Card Collection & The Post Office. Postal copies can be delivered for £11, email [email protected]