RESIDENTS have been caking off to help improve a park cafe.

Trafford Housing Trust’s Stretford House tenants raised £270 for the Friends of Victoria Park.

The competition saw a bake sale, where residents raised funds by baking cakes and selling them to guests, and a Victoria sponge taste testing competition, judged by Mayor of Trafford, Cllr Tom Ross and Mayoress, Cllr Anne Duffield.

The winning cake was created by Ruth Devent.

Christine Barry, of Friends of Victoria Park, said: “We are raising money to make improvements to the park and make it a safe, green space for the whole community.

"We would like to thank residents of Stretford House for helping make this possible and funds raised are going towards our brand new community café facility which we are hoping to open later in the year.

"Our old building has been there for more than 50 years and was in need of replacing.”

Cllr Ross said: “I always love coming to Stretford House, it has a lovely, welcoming community feel and good neighbours. People have put a lot of effort into the Cake Off and the cakes were fantastic!

"It was lovely to see residents raising money for a great community cause to benefit Stretford. Well done to everyone who took part.”

The new Victoria Park cafe will have clean, accessible toilets and affordable and health food and drinks.

It will also have a meeting space and hub for our community events and there are sustainable elements which include solar panels, water storage. It will also have a new CCTV system.

The Cake Off was organised by Stretford House caretaker Neil Turner, who said: “The whole idea was that we get our community together, raise some money for charity and our residents could enjoy each other’s company. Hopefully it is the first of many events to come.”

Friends of Victoria Park will also be holding an Easter Egg hunt on Easter Saturday as part of fundraising activity.