1/3 Francis with a homemade birthday cake (photo: Imke van de Laar)
Every child deserves a beautiful cake on their birthday. Even if parents don’t have the money for it. So Francis Bernaards bakes the most beautiful birthday cakes especially for the children of the food bank. Francis has therefore been nominated for the title Brabander of the Year.
You can vote for Francis or read more about the other nominees on our special voting page.
Very precisely, Francis sticks a yellow marzipan car on a large blue cake. “This one is for Jacob. He will be four years old. Unfortunately, his parents have to use the food bank and have no money for a birthday cake. So I’m making one for him.”
And Francis does this not only for Jacob, but for all children of the West Brabant Food Bank. Francis explains: “I always made 3D cakes for my own children when they had their birthday. So then I thought, maybe I can do that for children who don’t normally get this.”
“This is my way of doing something extra for those children that the richer children don’t have.”
With that idea, Francis reported to the food bank ten years ago. There she was received enthusiastically. She now bakes dozens of birthday cakes a year. “I have noticed in recent years that it is quite difficult for families to make ends meet,” she says.
“Children are tough. Many children come to school with branded stuff. And some children can’t participate in that,” Francis continues. “This is therefore my way of doing something extra for those children. And giving them something that the richer children don’t have.”
While Francis sticks blades of grass and white clouds on the cake, she emphasizes: “This is something that not every child gets for his birthday. Nice for those children that they also have something special.” She points to the cake. “And he’s going to be beautiful, isn’t he?”
“The radiant faces of those children, that’s what you do it for.”
Francis pays for the ingredients all out of his own pocket. Usually she also brings the cake to the birthday girl herself. “That’s a great moment when they see their birthday cake. Then those faces shine completely. The parents are of course also grateful. But the radiant faces of those children, that’s what you do it for.”
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