“The quality of the entries just takes the biscuit!” said Phil Jones, Lovell’s Head of Land and Partnerships, as he and fellow judges, TV’s George Clarke and Greggs’ CEO Roisin Currie, announced the winners of a new festive gingerbread building competition that took place at The Biscuit Factory on Tuesday (3 December): Gingerbread Street.
The Gingerbread Street competition is the first of its kind in the region, organised by Gateshead-based homelessness charity Oasis Community Housing. Local businesses, groups and schools deployed their best bakers and builders to create gingerbread houses, a school, church and even a skate park. All of the confectionary creations have been displayed alongside each other to make up Gingerbread Street, which will remain on display to visit at The Biscuit Factory until 27 December 2024.
Judges George Clarke, Greggs’ Roisin Currie and Phil Jones from Lovell, who has kindly sponsored the event alongside the Chartered Institute of Building, awarded the Community Champion Award to ‘Callerton Gingerbread Academy’, which was a group effort from Callerton Academy Year 10 Pupils, Space Architects and Morgan Sindall construction services.
Other award winners included: ‘The Courthouse’ by Ben Hoare Bell LLP (small plot); ‘Frank’s Place’ by construction group Bowmer + Kirkland (medium plot); and ‘The Evelyn Project Food Bank & Community Garden’ by Evelyn Partners financial services (large plot).
Gingerbread Street aims to raise awareness of homelessness this Christmas, and the community that is needed to make people feel they have a home. Sarah Lister, CEO of Oasis Community Housing, the charity organising the event, said:
“Ending homelessness is about more than putting a roof over someone’s head. Building community around people is at the heart of what we do, so every individual feels safe and like they belong. We wanted to bring that message to life and so, with a dusting of Christmas spirit, we have Gingerbread Street!
“We are overwhelmed by the level of creativity and commitment given by local businesses, churches and schools, as well as our incredible judges – all enabling us to continue making a life-changing difference for people facing homelessness across the region.”
The homelessness charity in partnership with George Clarke’s own charity, MOBIE (Ministry of Building, Innovation and Education), have delivered a number of school workshops across Newcastle and Gateshead encouraging young people to think about homelessness and to design the kind of shelter that may be helpful for people sleeping on the streets. Out of hundreds of entries, Sonny Abbott from Rowlands Gill Primary School was chosen as the winner for his colourful, uplifting design. Sonny’s design for a homelessness shelter has been made into a life-size model by MOBIE, which is also on display at The Biscuit Factory throughout December.
Anyone visiting Gingerbread Street can vote for their favourite biscuity building using the QR code on the miniature street signs across the exhibition. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced on Oasis Community Housing’s social media channels on 20 December.
Find out more about Oasis Community Housing’s Christmas Appeal >