A GUIDE unit in Aberdeen clocked up some brownie points after creating ‘History in the Baking’ at an exclusive shortbread art workshop last week.
The workshop was organised by Huntly-based Dean’s, leading producer of premium quality shortbread and biscuits, and led by facilitator Anthony Schrag, in association with Deveron Arts, also based in Huntly.
They form a wider tour round various towns and cities in Scotland during the summer break targeting youth groups
The Guides, who meet weekly at Ruthrieston West Church Halls, were tasked with creating artistic sculptures using Dean’s shortbread fingers and then craft their own designs using dough, which was then baked and eaten.
The unit also participated in a discussion around the history of the area and what was important to them about living in Aberdeen. The results will be unveiled at a special launch event next month, where the various youth groups will come together to reveal their work.
Fiona Saunders, the group’s leader, said:
“The girls had a lot of fun during the Dean’s shortbread art project and the leaders didn’t have to think for once, which was nice! Anthony did a great job in getting the girls to work together as a team and discuss the history of Aberdeen, as well as creating some weird and wonderful sculptures using the dough and Dean’s biscuits.
“This is a huge year for Girlguiding Scotland, being our centenary, so we have been involved in a number of projects, this one definitely being the tastiest!
“When the workshop took place, it also happened to be a leaving night for two of our leaders so we had organised a special cake to say goodbye and thanks.
“However, as the girls were all so full of shortbread, for the first time ever, some of them refused the cake, which we thought was amusing!”
The workshops are part of a campaign run by Dean’s to reach out to youngsters across Scotland, which combine team work with baking through art, using Dean’s products as props.
Says a spokesperson: “The company also aims for the workshops to generate fond memories in the kitchen, which is similar to how the company formed 35 years ago.
“The story of Dean’s began in 1975 in the late Helen Dean’s kitchen, where she began producing her ‘melt in the mouth’ shortbread in order to raise funds for the Huntly Pipe Band, in which her husband Bill (father of the current managing director, Bill Dean) was the Drum Major.
“From there, demand for Helen’s famous recipe increased and in 1992, growing from her home kitchen to local bakery, Dean’s moved to a new purpose built bakery, on the outskirts of Huntly. Now featuring an award-winning visitor centre, café, gift shop and viewing gallery over the bakery, increasing square footage to over 60,000 sq ft.
“Today, Dean’s is still a family-run business with 118 employees, priding itself on using time honoured handcrafted baking methods, while striving to develop new ideas.”
Bill Dean, managing director of Dean’s, said: “We wanted to do something a little different from the norm, which would reach out to youngsters and get a bit of a discussion around their history, seeing as it’s something important to us as a company.
“Dean’s is all about ‘history in the baking’, dating back to 1975, when my mother created her original shortbread recipe, which is now sold worldwide. We hope that the workshops have helped the Guides share fond memories of home baking that they can take home to create some of their own in the kitchen.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editor:
Gillian Hamilton, at threebrand PR, on 0131 454 2030 / 07889 365363 or email gillian@threebrandpr.com
Dean’s
- The Dean’s range includes traditional Scottish all butter shortbread fingers, rounds and petticoat tails, oat biscuits, Scottish Oatcakes, Petit Four (bite-sized shortbread) and recipes containing tasty ingredients such as Scottish fruit, double cream, toasted coconut, praline, pecan and Belgian chocolate.
- Dean’s newest range – Oat Biscuits – are an indulgent and luxurious addition to its premium collection of traditional and contemporary shortbread. Remaining true to the hand-baking proposition, these home-style biscuits are made from the finest Scottish Oats and all natural ingredients. There are five light and crunchy biscuits in the range; Original, Stem Ginger, Coconut & Treacle, Sultana & Heather Honey and Apple & Cranberry.
- Dean’s recently won Gold in the Most Successful Product for its Oat Biscuit Range at the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards on Thursday 18th March 2010.
- Dean’s is available to buy in the following retail outlets: Tesco, Morrisons and Co-op (UK-wide); Asda and Sainsburys (Scotland only); Edinburgh Woollen Mills, Dobbies, Chocolate Box (airport terminal shops), Jenners, Historic Scotland sites including; Stirling, Edinburgh, Eilean Donnan and Culzean Castles, Baxters, Caithness Glass, Crieff Visitor Centres and various National Trust sites in Scotland
- Dean’s shortbread is available from all major wholesalers and Cash and Carries throughout Scotland and in a number of key wholesalers in England.
- Dean’s is available through the following food service outlets; 3663, Brakes and Woodward.
- As well as in the UK, Dean’s can be purchased in the following countries: USA, Canda, Russia, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, China and UAE.
Girlguiding Scotland
- Girlguiding Scotland is part of Girlguiding UK – recognised as the UK’s largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women, with around 575,000 members and recognised volunteers. Girlguiding Scotland has 60,000 members of whom 10,000 are adult members.
- We run Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section, enabling girls and young women to develop their potential whatever their ability or background. We are striving to offer new opportunities to a broad diversity of communities through our expanding network of 60,000 trained volunteer leaders.
- At Girlguiding UK we seek to give girls a voice and provide a unique, girl-only space where members feel comfortable just being themselves. Our members, challenged by a girl-led programme that extends beyond badges, enjoy a spectrum of activities from outdoor adventure to pop-concerts to community action.
- Girlguiding UK, part of a worldwide movement of approximately ten million girls and young women in 145 countries, launched its Centenary celebrations in September 2009. Girlguiding UK Registered Charity No: 306016. Girlguiding Scotland Registered Charity No: SC005548
Issued on behalf of Dean’s, by threebrand PR.
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Contact: Gillian Hamilton
Phone: 0131 454 2030
Email: gillian@threebrandpr.com
Website: http://www.threebrandpr.com
