Bake-Off's Sandy Docherty is 'Baking Down Barriers'

Fresh from her participation in the last series of the BBC's hugely popular Great British Bake-Off in which Sandy managed a very commendable four weeks before her race for the culinary crown was curtailed by a cheesecake travesty, Sandy is glowing with that warm and friendly personality which catapulted her popularity with viewers.

While many Bake-Off participants have launched their own cookbooks showcasing the signature styles which earned them a place on the show, Sandy has yet to put pen to paper. Although there could be a tome in waiting....

In the meantime, the tables have been well and truly turned. From having her creations scrutinised by Bake-Off's Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, it was inevitable that Sandy would be invited to judge bake-off style competitions at schools and community organisations which she loves doing and feels honoured to be asked.

But even she admits it is difficult choosing the best when faced with a class of youngsters who have all worked equally hard on their culinary creations.

Working in child protection and welfare - Sandy is also a school counsellor at Titus Salt School in Saltaire, she is used to dealing with young ones and explains how they are all winners in their achievement.

And Sandy is a shining example. She was, she recalls, one of 16,000 applicants to apply for the Bake-Off series. "So to be one of 12 is tremendous," she says, referring to those who made it to the tented Bake-Off marquee.

"And to be in the fourth week makes me one of nine."

Of all the traditional creations she had trialled, each bearing a Yorkshire theme, she had hoped to showcase her chocolate and biscuit dry stone wall with white Yorkshire rose decoration during chocolate week but was knocked out the week before.

"I was further on than I thought I would get. Bread week was my nemesis. I can make bread but I don't make it into a piece of artwork. Art and bread, either or, I can't get them both in the same place," says Sandy.

"The following week it was dessert week and, some how, I seemed to go down on the train knowing I had reached my par because I approach most things in life with my heart and my head follows. It's all about my heart comes first and all of a sudden I realised I was having to engage my head for this competition. I had to start thinking 'competition.'"

Sandy clearly loved every minute of her time on the show and she has certainly found an element of fame through it.

When she isn't working at Titus Salt School, where she credits the staff, including headteacher Ian Morrell, and pupils for their support during and after the show, she participates in cookery demonstrations appearing at events such as The Great British Food Festival at Harewood House in Leeds.

But the highlight was a Help the Heroes event she was involved in at Titus Salt School involving veterans from Catterick.

With Sandy's assistance, they helped the children to bake an Easter cake.

Sandy recalls it was an emotional experience. "It was amazing, it really was. The veterans worked with the kids and made this cake."

Sandy says the occasion also epitomised an idea she is busy developing. Her aim is to share her love of baking with many more groups and organisations.

Having been spotted walking her dog by a member of a PR company who tweeted they had seen her, Sandy baked them a cake.

The meeting at Ewe PR in Guiseley led to the launch of 'Baking Down Barriers' in February.

Sandy wants to share her love of baking - and the benefits it brings. She says the repetitive nature of cooking can be therapeutic. And it's fun.

For Sandy it's a life-long love. "I was baking before I was born!" she laughs.

"I have baked forever. Mum, Grandmas and Auntie - I was very good at helping my Auntie. I used to help her with her cherry cake and she used to say 'she's good with the cherries, she didn't use a knife, she bit them in two!'"

"When I was four I made a lovely recipe known as grey pastry."

Sandy explains it was grey with grubby hands and would be filled with all the bits left over from everyone else's baking. She remembers proudly presenting it to her Dad for his lunch!

"Sometimes there would be Marmite in it, hundreds and thousands!" she laughs.

They say practice makes perfect and, since then, Sandy has expanded her expertise, and her recipe range. "If you have five recipes in your repertoire and can adapt all five you have endless possibilities."

Since the show Sandy has kept in touch with her fellow bakers through an online group.

When we spoke Howard Middleton, who appeared in the fourth series of the show, had invited her to join him at a cookery event in Manchester.

Sandy also catches up with fellow contestant and winner of the last series, Nadiya Hussain.

"I do keep in touch with Naydia she is one of my dearest friends, we formed quite a bond since GBBO," says Sandy.

"Nadiya was doing the Queen's Birthday cake and I was doing Charlotte Bronte's. I said she was making the Queen's cake and I was making the Queen of Literature's cake!"

Sandy had been approached to create a commemorative fruit cake for a garden party held as part of the 200th anniversary celebrations of Charlotte Bronte's birth.

Recalling her response when asked by the Bronte Society if she would create a cake for the occasion, she says: "I said I would love to, it was an absolute honour because I am a real Bronte fan."

When she isn't baking for occasions - Sandy recently provided the cakes for an Afternoon Tea at an awards ceremony at Titus Salt School - she's busy developing Baking Down Barriers.

Among the many events she has already attended include the Lunar Lunch in Bradford organised in conjunction with the Big Lunch initiative.

Run by the Eden Project, an educational charity, eight years ago, the Big Lunch is helping to bring communities together.

Sandy is keen to spread the word of how baking can bring people together. "I am coming at it in the hope that I am one of those bakers that people will say 'I will make what Sandy makes because it is something I can do. Just have a go. If I can do it anybody can.

"It's that language; being able to have a go because baking and cooking is a universal language. You don't need words to make a piece of bread. It says everything you need it to say."

For more information about Baking Down Barriers visit: bakingdownbarriers.co.uk