Competition Details
2024 Competition - How To Enter
Theme: 'FLORAL FEASTS'
This year for the 6th annual bake-off there will be an Instagram Competition
PLUS a Live Tasting Competition at Partridges in Chelsea.
Instagram Competition:
Make some 'Floral-Themed' Chelsea Buns or Chelsea Bun Flowers, photograph them and post the photo on Instagram using the hashtag #worldchelseabunawards, tag the photograph and the text @world.chelsea.bun.awards and say which category you are entering - Under 18s, Adults or Professional Bakers.
OR, email us your photograph (using the link below), especially if your Instagram account is private.
Entry Deadline: 5pm on Friday 17th May 2024.
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Special 'Early Entry' Deadline: Photograph entries received by Sunday 21st April will also be included in a 'Floral Feasts' display at Partridges, Duke of York Square in the 'Chelsea in Bloom' week during the Chelsea Flower Show.
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Prizes:
Enter your Chelsea Buns into one of three categories:
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Children (under 18) - ​​Prize: £100;
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Adults – Prize: £100;
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Professional Bakers – Prize: £100. ​
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Live Tasting Competition:
Bring or post your 'Floral-Themed' Chelsea Buns or Chelsea Bun Flowers to Partridges, 2-5 Duke of York Square, Chelsea, London, SW3 4LY.
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Entry Deadline: To arrive by 9.30 am on Saturday 18th May.
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Prizes:
Enter your Chelsea Buns into one of three categories:
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Children (under 18) - ​​Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper filled with delicious treats;
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Adults – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Hamper including Partridges Chelsea Bun Gin or a non-alcoholic alternative;
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Professional Bakers – Prize: Bespoke Partridges Sharing Hamper including Partridges Champagne and Chelsea Bun Gin or non-alcoholic alternatives.
Winners will also receive a World Chelsea Bun Awards Winners’ Apron, kindly donated by Initially London
and THE OVERALL 'LIVE TASTING' WINNER will also receive £250 and be named
‘Best Chelsea Bun Baker 2024’.
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Charitable Donation
We invite all entrants to make a donation to the Award's chosen charity - The Children's Surgery Foundation.
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CHELSEA BUN FLOWER ILLUSTRATION BY LOCAL ARTIST, JULIA PAGE
Welcome to the World Chelsea Bun Awards
Bake-Off Competition ​Hosted by Partridges in Celebration of World Chelsea Bun Day
In May 2024 Royal Warrant Holder, Partridges of Sloane Square, is hosting the sixth annual World Chelsea Bun Awards to celebrate World Chelsea Bun Day.
The Judges
Lady Frederick Windsor, who is also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman, and actress and cake expert Jane Asher, who are both Patrons of The Children’s Surgery Foundation, will judge this year’s World Chelsea Bun Awards. Other judges will include John Shepherd, owner and Managing Director of Partridges Fine Foods and Munther Haddad, the Chairman of The Children’s Surgery Foundation and a Senior Consultant Paediatric and Neonatal Surgeon.
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The Judging
On Saturday 18th May, Lady Frederick Windsor, Jane Asher, John Shepherd and Munther Haddad will taste and judge the 'Floral Feast' Chelsea Buns at Partridges in Duke of York Square.
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The Results
The 'Live Tasting' competition winners will be announced at Partridges at 3.30pm on Saturday 18th May. All the results will be announced on Instagram and here, on the website, on Monday 20th May 2024.
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Charitable Donation
The competitions are free to enter but entrants are requested to make a donation to the Award's chosen charity, The Children's Surgery Foundation which is raising money to supply an intravenous vein finder to each of the 26 paediatric surgery wards in the UK.
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John Shepherd, Owner and Managing Directory of Partridges says... “The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand close to Partridges store in Duke of York Square, Chelsea. Richard, known as Captain Bun, ran The Old Chelsea Bun House which was famous for its Chelsea Buns and counted King George II, King George III and their families amongst its customers. We are delighted to hold the World Chelsea Bun Awards for the sixth year running and hope they will once again revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area, and around the world, as well as raise funds and awareness for The Children's Surgery Foundation. To date, the World Chelsea Bun Awards has raised £30,000 for the charity's Beam Campaign.
As a judge of this year’s competition, I am very much looking forward to seeing the range and variety of 'Floral Themed' Chelsea Buns which are entered. We are hoping to receive entries from all over the country and all over the world and I expect that people will add popular local ingredients as well as ingredients which match their own dietary preferences and creative twists, resulting in a rich assortment of Chelsea Buns.”
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Jane Asher says... “I’m so pleased that our important charity is going to benefit once more from the exciting World Chelsea Bun Awards. I have the honour of being a judge for this very special competition, and I would urge anyone who enjoys baking to join in and have a go with their version of the famous, delicious treat. Not only will it be fun, but at the same time you will be helping to relieve the potential pain and distress experienced by children undergoing surgery. I do hope you will join us.”
History of The Chelsea Bun
Chelsea Buns are a type of currant bun traditionally made from a rich yeast dough flavoured with lemon peel, cinnamon or mixed spice. The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand, proprietor of The Old Chelsea Bun House, who was apparently known as Captain Bun!
The Chelsea Bun House, which was demolished in 1839, is thought to have been located between Pimlico Green and Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea and was famous for its Chelsea Buns. It also did a roaring trade in hot cross buns at Easter and was patronised by customers including King George II, King George III and their families.
About Partridges
The independent family-run food store was founded in 1972 in Sloane Square and celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2022. In 1994 it was granted a Royal Warrant as Grocers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
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In 1998 a second Partridges shop opened on Gloucester Road, Kensington and in 2004 the original shop was relocated to Duke of York Square, Chelsea where it offers outdoor seating.
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In 2014 Partridges launched 'Startisans' to help ‘Start-Up Food & Drink’ artisans and operates the vibrant and successful Saturday Market each weekend near its flagship store on Duke of York Square, Chelsea.
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In 2019 Partridges launched the World Chelsea Bun Awards to revive the baking of Chelsea Buns in the area and help raise funds and awareness for a local charity.
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The Charity
2019 - 2024
The Children's Surgery Foundation
Entrants are requested to make a donation to The Children’s Surgery Foundation to support its Beam Campaign which aims to ensure that intravenous access is a more efficient and less intimidating procedure for young patients and their families. The charity is hoping to raise sufficient funds to purchase an ultrasound vein finder for every paediatric surgical department in the UK.
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The World Chelsea Bun Awards has so far raised £30,000 for the charity.
The charity works in partnership with the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons.
