When members (and two husbands!) of Midsomer Norton and Radstock Inner Wheel Club visited Burns the Bread’s award-winning bakery in Glastonbury High Street, little did they suspect they would be taking part in a pasty crimping competition.

After explaining how his interest in bread making had started out of family circumstances at the age of nine, proprietor, Bob Burns, took his visitors behind the scenes where the baking of bread, cakes, savouries and the making of sandwiches daily takes place to stock his seven shops run by his 75 profit-sharing staff.

It was the talk, tour, demonstration and tasty supper that Bob and his family members had given to a host of organisations over the last 25 years; events that have raised thousands of pounds for the local hospice and earned Bob an MBE.

Togged up in baking gear, Inner Wheel members each assembled and then crimped four Glastonbury pastries that were cooked and later judged by Bob, his daughter, Terri and grandson, Casey (whose twin brother Max is also pivotal in the business). Not only did members leave with their pasties, but also a promotional bag containing a loaf, a fruit cake and information on Bob’s Glastonbury School, where he shares his lifetime baking experiences with enthusiasts during bread, bun and pastry days.

Sue Meadows