AS part of the celebrations for the Queen’s 90th birthday, a competition is being runwith children at Buryfields Primary School and Mayhill Junior School in Odiham to design a cake that will feed more than 600 people at a special street party on June 12.

The winning designs will be created by master baker Gareth Jones, of Odiham Cake Company, whose elaborate cakes and intricate sugar craft have earned him national recognition and a role in a BBC documentary.

The competition will see the children of Mayhill Junior School enter designs for a centrepiece cake while children at Buryfields Primary School will design cupcakes that Gareth will also create for the street party.

The winning designers will attend a cake-decorating session at Odiham Cake Company to put the finishing touches to their creations. Each of the winners will also receive a medal to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday from the parish council to be presented by North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena.

Mr Jones said: “Odiham Cake Company is used to working on some fantastical projects but feeding more than 600 local residents is one of our biggest challenges yet. There’s a terrific sense of community in Odiham, and it’s lovely to see the children’s excitement and enthusiasm. We can’t wait to turn their ideas of a cake befitting of Her Majesty’s birthday into the real thing.”

Jon Hale, chairman of Odiham Parish Council, said: “We couldn’t be more grateful to Gareth Jones and the team at Odiham Cake Company. This competition will be the centrepiece of our street party celebration to mark Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

“Our street party would not have been possible without huge efforts from our friends at RAF Odiham and the team of community volunteers, and this competition seemed the perfect way of integrating our schools into this national event.”

For more details, visit odihamstreetparty.co.uk.