Caring youngster Alana helps Sheffield NHS charity by launching a cookbook

Alana Habergham-Rice, from Kiveton, who is 13 and has autism, has been baking her Caring Cakes for seven years – all to cheer people up and raise money for charity.

She chooses nominated people to bake for, all of whom are facing challenges in their life, and then delivers the cakes with mum Rachel.

Her cookbook is called Cakes to Make You Smile, from the Heart of Sheffield.

Alana has been fundraising for Sheffield Hospitals Charity for several years, in order to thank local hospitals for the care that they showed her close friend, Nick Challenger, in his recent battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

After being treated at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital he was eventually given the all-clear. Nick and his family and friends decided to pay back for his treatment and Alana decided that she wanted to do her bit.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity will receive £4.50 from every book sold.

Alana said: “I can’t believe that my baking recipes have actually turned into a book and that people can buy it, read it and bake with it. I am so proud that every copy that I sell will make a difference to such an amazing cause like Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

“I’ve been baking for years and it is such a great hobby. What makes it even better is that I do it to cheer people up.

"It isn’t about the money, it is about making people smile because that is the most important thing in the world. If my caring cakes can help with that, then that’s the only reason I need to keep on baking.

“The most important thing to me is always kindness. The world is a much better place when people are kind and that is what my baking and all of the other things I try to do are all about.

“I’ve always wanted to raise money for Sheffield Hospitals Charity. The hospitals showed Nick such amazing care in his battle with cancer and so I want to do this for him.”

Copies of the book can be purchased at www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk and have been available through click and collect from Alana’s very own Friendly Bench in Kiveton Park. You can also order books from the Facebook page, Alana’s Caring Cakes.

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The Friendly Bench is another example of Alana’s incredible initiatives.

Last year, Kiveton Park had the first Friendly Bench installed in Yorkshire as part of a national scheme to help tackle loneliness and social isolation.

Alana worked with her local councillor Dominic Beck to install the bench outside Kiveton library.

The bench is designed to connect people through community events and activities, connect places through information sharing and to help people to connect with nature and the outdoors.

Above all, it is about giving people a communal space to meet, to talk and to help one another. It is another shining example of Alana’s unrivalled dedication to kindness.

Gareth Aston, chief executive officer at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, was delighted to have Alana’s support: “Alana is such an incredible young girl – a real inspiration for all of us.

“The love and compassion she has for everybody is just remarkable and her motivation to make people happy is something that we should all channel.

“Time after time she has started projects and initiatives that promote kindness and we are proud to have Alana’s support.

“Get a copy of her book for yourself or for someone else, get baking one of her delicious cakes and put a smile on so many faces.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.