WHEN a hospice asked a Wrexham bakery for a donation towards a big fundraising event next month, bosses came up with something much better than a little dough.

The Village Bakery in Coedpoeth has asked its apprentices to use their loaves to create a huge model of Cinderella’s coach made entirely from bread.

Working to a design prepared by a 10-year-old boy called Joshua, from Shrewsbury, who is visiting Hope House Hospice, a baker’s dozen of kind-hearted trainees will produce a coach 8ft long by 5ft high using a mixture of bread panels and plaited dough.

A rich golden brown colour, the edible art will be finished with a coating of seeds and cracked wheat and hung with coloured ribbons.

Robin Jones, Village Bakery’s joint managing director, said: “We were approached by Hope House Hospice in Oswestry for a donation towards the fundraising ball it is having at Chester racecourse on May 14, but rather than just give money we decided to so something which would test the skills of our apprentices and also give them the chance to help a good cause.

“They are confident about making the coach but they are still wondering about whether they should also tackle the horses, which will be a lot more complicated.

“Apart from the coach, which we hope people will have a little taste of in the night as it will be 100 per cent edible, the apprentices are also making the bread rolls for the starter course of the meal and some Welsh cakes and shortbread for the coffee course.”

According to Alison Marsh, of Hope House, the hospice is very grateful to the bakery’s staff donating their time to help boost the charity’s funds, and the finished sculpture will take pride of place at the ‘Hopes, Dreams and Promises’ ball at Chester Racecourse on Saturday, May 14.

She said: “Everyone at Hope House is excited to see just how Joshua's carriage is turned into bread and we are all hoping it will certainly be too good to eat.

“We are grateful for the support of Village Bakery with this event.”

Visitors to the magical ball will also be treated to a champagne reception, three course meal, entertainment and a midnight fireworks display.

For more information or to buy tickets call Jayne Cahill on 07717483597.