Great British Bake Off finalist, and author, James Morton, showed his support for this year’s Scottish Learning Disability Week by coming along to a ‘Communi-tea’ event. The ‘Communi-tea’ event was for people with learning disabilities and their supporters to come together to enjoy some home baking and play a variety of tea party – themed games.

James has also written a recipe in honour of Learning Disability Week, which was baked by some of the SCLD team to celebrate the launch of the ‘Get Involved’ packs at the ‘Communi-tea’.  The ‘Get Involved’ packs will help people run their own events during Learning Disability Week, which takes place between Monday 13th – Sunday 19th May.

The Communi-tea event is part of this year’s Scottish Learning Disability Week theme, ‘Community’, and was held at Project Ability, a visual arts charity and gallery, which supports people with learning disabilities.

“I was delighted to come along to this Communi-Tea and lend my support for this year’s Scottish Learning Disability Week. Sometimes I forget, in the excitement of the bake, what baking is really about. Community. Sharing cake over a cup of tea with people you love is one of life’s great pleasures. So I was pleased to write a recipe designed for sharing, that can help bring communities, large and small, into the kitchen. Baking is a fun activity for all ages and levels of ability, and we shouldn’t put in place barriers, including for those with learning disabilities, that stop people getting involved and having a go.”

This year’s Learning Disability Week seeks to highlight the way that people with learning disabilities are making a contribution to their local community, and also to draw attention to the barriers that can sometimes stop them from doing so. The week takes place between Monday 13th – Sunday 19th May, culminating in Scotland’s Learning Disability Awards, which take place on Friday 17th May.

You can have a go at baking James’s special Learning Disability Week recipe here. 

Pictured above: James Morton (left) alongside Stephen Dickson, who designed the Scottish Learning Disability Week mascot ‘Uno the Unicorn’. Pic by Peter Devlin.