A woman from Manchester has baked a massive 6ft cake depicting a nurse hugging Santa to thank NHS staff for their work on the frontlines during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
And the creation has since been seen by tens of thousands of people online over the past weekend.
Rosie Dummer, 53, spent two weeks painstakingly preparing the incredible cake – which served up 1,200 portions and weighed in at more than 30 stone – after she was asked to create it for Channel 5’s Amazing Cakes and Bakes, which will air later this month.
The mum-of-four said she completed the cake in “record time” after spending up to 16 hours a day moulding, crafting and sculpting it.
The 6ft tall creation is titled ‘A Hug for Christmas’.
The chocolate cake – which features a life-size Santa sharing a wholesome embrace with a nurse dressed in full PPE – is soaked in orange syrup, with each of its 17 layers boasting a chocolate orange frosting.
The dessert has about 360,000 calories in total.
The impressive creation was then presented to NHS workers at the Royal Bolton Hospital on 4th December, and went on to feed 1,200 members of staff.
Giving an insight into the process of creating the impressive cake, Rosie Drummer said: “This year has been such a strange and difficult year for everyone, but the NHS staff have been absolute heroes through it all.
“We all used to clap on Thursdays and in the last few months we’ve all been trying to get back to some sort of normality, but they’ve still been saving lives on the front line.
“They haven’t stopped and I feel like it’s important to remind ourselves of all they’ve done and to thank them.
“I’m thrilled it made people feel emotional – we titled it ‘A Hug for Christmas’ and I think this applies to everyone. I think we all need a big hug.
“It was my mum’s birthday on Saturday, and I just started thinking about how lovely it would be to hug her. I think we all feel a little bit helpless sometimes, because we can’t directly help these nurses or hospital staff, but I want to help in the only way I know how – with some time and a bit of icing.
“I just want to say thank you.”
Rosie Drummer / Royal Bolton Hospital
Rosie – who only started baking after she left the army, where she was the first female helicopter pilot in the British military – said this cake was the trickiest she’s attempted so far.
It even left her working until 4am on some nights.
Andy Ennis – Chief Operating Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – added: “We were delighted with Rosie’s kind gesture. It has put such a smile on people’s faces after what has been a tough year for our staff.
“The cake was absolutely incredible, and also very tasty,
“Thank you, Rosie.”
Staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital and from across the organisation had a very special treat on Friday, when extreme cake maker Rosie Dummer delivered them a 6 foot cake for Christmas.
You can catch the cake featured on a Christmas episode of Amazing Cakes and Bakes on Channel 5 on Saturday 12th December.
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Why you should be glad Tom Aspinall has said no to a UFC fight at The White House
Danny Jones
In this industry, you can get used to wearing some pretty strange-sounding headlines, but we still had to double-take when we saw the headlines that the UFC is set to hold an event at The White House (yes, really) – even more so when we saw local name Tom Aspinall linked.
You know, as in the home of the actual President of the United States…
While UFC boss Dana White has stated that “it is definitely going to happen”, revealing that he has already met with Donald Trump, one of the UFC’s biggest stars and Manchester’s very own heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, says he has no interest. More importantly, he says you shouldn’t either.
Appearing on Canadian journalist Ariel Helwani’s mixed martial arts (MMA) and wrestling-focused podcast, The AH Show, Aspinall discussed everything from his next bout against French fighter Ciryl Gane, beef between coaches and much more.
However, the pair couldn’t possibly have skipped over the topic on everyone’s lips in the fight world and, indeed, beyond, after President Trump announced that he would be bringing the UFC to what is, for all intents and purposes, the most famous seat of power in the world.
As you can see in the clip above, the Atherton-born and Salford-raised sportsman barely even gave the notion much time of day at all, quickly expressing his ‘boredom’ over talking about it.
Regardless, Helwani did manage to get a clear response from ‘The Honey Badger’, who said: “It has spent zero seconds in my mind. I’m not interested, mate. Not interested, and the world shouldn’t be interested either, because what’s the point? That’s false hope.”
Once again, while both Trump and Dana White insist an official UFC event will go ahead, slating none other than the annual 4 July celebrations as the desired date on the 250th anniversary of the nation’s unification, it still seems like a surreal sentence to even say out loud for most people.
🇺🇸 President Donald Trump says he will host a UFC fight at the White House as part of the America 250 celebration 👀
"We're gonna have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House… championship fight."pic.twitter.com/ouTttg1NPz
Now, while the Manc MMA fighter (who recently became the undisputed champion in his division following fight legend Jon Jones’ retirement) begins by dismissing the idea, he goes on to admit via double negative that the idea “doesn’t not interest [him]” and would be a “cool experience”.
Whether or not he means in the future, perhaps under a different POTUS’ regime, or simply doubts that the deal will even come off at this early stage, who knows?
He might have also just been referring to his doubts that the former three-time champ Jon Jones’ self-proclaimed return to the testing pool just weeks after retiring will amount to anything material, let alone in time for this particular date; even Dana White himself has said the likelihood is “a billion to one“.
First and foremost, Apsinall explains that he believes that “the Americans [fighting in the UFC] should get the shot at the White House” as they obviously have a much more vested interest in the concept and sense of appeal when it comes to utilising it as the latest historic, albeit unorthodox, sporting venue.
Interestingly, he does confess that he neither knows nor cares very little about US politics, stating: “I’m not really a big Trump supporter or against Trump […] I don’t live there, I don’t reside there, I don’t do anything there, apart from pay taxes and fight there. Really, all of that stuff is irrelevant to me.”
However, his minor caveat was that he has no ‘particular’ interest in the proposal and only really reiterated that he’s “not bothered” about when or where it happens, stating simply that he’ll “fight anywhere.”
The White House under the lights on fight night would be quite the sight, there’s no denying that. (Credit: Rob Young via Flickr)
You could argue that the current world number two UFC heavyweight is being careful in his choice of words, playing the bipartisan role ever so carefully so as not to jeopardise his own future in a sport that predominantly revolves around North America.
After all, recent developments in the media world alone would suggest that the Trump administration could make his time working and competing in the US more difficult than it would otherwise be if he made an outwardly public and definitive stance against the mercurial and controversial statesman.
And that’s putting it mildly.
On the other hand, his words could be quite literally taken at face value: he may not care one bit about the rather divisive political climate in America; he is just an athlete who’s making a living has nothing to do with Democrats vs Republicans.
Nevertheless, it seems fairly significant that Aspinall rubbished what are still just unofficial, though admittedly very loud and public, rumours put forward by the two relevant leadership figures involved in these ongoing developments, especially given that the Wigan warrior is currently at the top of his game.
You can see his AH Show interview in full down below.
He may be too wise to say it out loud, but we’d wager Aspinall knows backing a UFC fight at The White House is bad for business.
Given that Donald Trump is known to be an avid fight fan – having famously backed and hosted the 1988 Tyson fight at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, later going to be pictured shaking ‘Iron Mike’s hand at UFC 316 back in June – there could be a chance of the two interacting somewhat closely.
With that in mind, even if this isn’t Aspinall cleverly and indirectly distancing himself from the President, some might say he is at least trying to urge others to hopefully prevent the sport from drifting into the same muddy waters that other modern combat sports have.
As time goes on, boxing in particular seems to be coming more and more about the paegantry and finding new ways of marketing one of the world’s oldest and most primal contests; celebrities entering the ring and YouTube/influencer boxers being the prime example.
The fight world has always been about spectacle, but many would argue it’s become increasingly style over substance in recent years, given the advent of social media, not to mention the line between exhibition and genuine competition becoming increasingly blurred.
Despite their stars remaining underpaid in comparison to headline boxers, MMA has always prided itself on being brutally itself, and whatever you make of it as it continues to grow both commercially and in terms of popularity, personally, we believe people like Tom Aspinall are trying to keep it honest.
Steering clear of not just politics but the same Hollywood trappings and overly spectacular, money-driven, entertainment-for-profit-first focus that often plagues present-day boxing is a wise step, no matter how Jon Jones suddenly wants to join in the hard sell.
Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event. At the end of the day, Dana is the boss and it’s his call whether I compete that night or not. I do know Dana was really excited about the fight, and the door hasn’t…
A big Taylor Swift listening party is coming to Manchester to celebrate her new album
Thomas Melia
An iconic Manchester music venue is hosting a Taylor Swift listening party to celebrate the release of her upcoming album this autumn.
The devil may work hard, but Ms. Swift sure works harder – as less than 500 days since the release of her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor has announced her twelfth LP titled The Life of a Showgirl, meaning the pop titan is back in full force with an era full of glitter, glitz, and showbiz glamour.
To celebrate, Manchester’s historic Deaf Institute is hosting a night dedicated to the newest era, and you’ll certainly be able to make ‘make the whole place shimmer’ as you walk into this Grade ll-listed building this October.
Get ready to hear everything from Taylor Swift’s stacked discography – including her humble beginnings like ‘Tim McGraw’, all the way through to her claiming the title as the ultimate ‘Anti-Hero’.
The DJs on the night will be spinning every single new track from Swift’s twelfth studio album too, all while mixing in some of her other standout songs.
Anyone keen to attend this Taylor Swift ‘Wonderland’ must be over 18 years old, and have their ID with them on the night, as unfortunately, there’s no ‘invisible string’ you can use to sneak yourself into this venue.
And if you’re turning 22 -or celebrating any other birthday – between 4 and 18 October, then you can score yourself free entry into this live music venue too, isn’t that ‘Gorgeous’?
Emily Sergeant -
7th December 2020 
