Sunderland schools and community groups are being asked to show their creativity and what they love about their city – in cake.

The event will be part of this year’s Sunderland Food and Drink Festival which is running during June, with organisations interested in taking part now being asked to register.

The festival, which has been created by Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council, will be a mix of virtual and real events.

And the good news is that it’s absolutely free to take part, with Sunderland BID footing the bill for the cake challenge.

Groups that want to take part will be delivered a large white iced, sponge sheet cake, along with a goody bag with some edible cake decorating items.

And then it will be time for imaginations to run riot – turning the cake into an edible work of art which brings to life some aspect of the city.

Decorators could use the beach, the Empire Theatre, the football club or the city centre as inspiration for their cake, which must be completed by a deadline which will be set in the near future.

Organisers want to hear from any group who would like to take part and who will then be delivered all the items they need ahead of a designated “cake day” when all the cakes need to be completed.

Any groups working on the cakes are being asked to ensure activities are carried out within social distancing guidelines, with the good news being that once the designs have been seen and shared the cakes can then be eaten.

Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive of Sunderland BID, believes it will be a fun event which people of all ages can take part in.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for schools and community groups of all ages to show their talents,” she said.

“They can make their cake look like a favourite building or a favourite street, or they might want to bring an important historic event to life – for example the day that Sunderland won the FA Cup.

“Or they might want to create a vision of the future and use the exciting plans for the city to inspire their design -it can be whatever they want.”

Fiona Brown, Executive Director of Neighbourhoods at Sunderland City Council, said: “We know that people in Sunderland are really proud of their city, so we’re looking forward to seeing the creations they come up with, whether they’re based on their own neighbourhood, historic city buildings, our wonderful beaches and parks or the fantastic events we’re all looking forward to seeing the return of once it’s safe to hold these.”

Any organisation wanting to register should contact Roberta Dambrauskaite by emailing roberta@sunderlandbid.co.uk

The Sunderland Cake Challenge is part of a whole programme of events taking place during the month-long Food and Drink Festival which will include virtual sessions with celebrities, cookalongs and special dining experiences.