Local business, Oakland International, gives a toss

Ensuring this year’s annual pancake day goes with a spin, staff at Redditch based Oakland International teamed up with specialist pancake producer, Ma Raeburns pancakes, to give local community groups and schools have the opportunity to sample a pancake or two on pancake day, Tuesday 5^th February, and all free of charge.

Birmingham based charity, The Fireside Day Centre, which provides help and support to the homeless and local Redditch primary school, Beoley First School, have both been selected to receive enough free pancakes to feed everyone. Catering for the homeless at Fireside is expected to exceed 100 sittings, with another 105 children and staff to feed at Beoley First.

Oakland director, Sallie Attwell, commenting on the reasons for the pancake giveaway, said: “Every year we work with a number of our customers to offer support and practical help to local charities and schools from across the region. Ma Reaburns pancakes, an Oakland customer, offered to provide as many free pancakes as we needed to help a number of local organisations with their pancake celebrations.”

Historically pancake day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional day of feasting before Ash Wednesday, and the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter. Shrove Tuesday enables Christians and those observing the Lent practice, to use up their surplus eggs and fats before embarking upon the traditional Lenten fast, with pancakes offering the perfect way of utilising these ingredients.

As a specialist contract packing, storage and logistics firm, Oakland works with many well-known household names from across the UK’s diverse foodservice industry, regularly enlisting their help with manyocal charitable and educational events across the region throughout the year.

Said Sallie: “Providing free pancakes allows the school to take part and explain the origins of Shrove Tuesday and in the case of Fireside, it allows people who would normally not have the opportunity to enjoy the celebrations to take part without utilising the charity’s much needed funds. We extend our sincere thanks to Ma Raeburns Pancakes for their generosity in helping make this possible.”