Society brewing up for largest cream tea party world record

Yorkshire Building Society colleagues and Marie Curie staff will be attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest cream tea party in multiple venues in aid of Marie Curie.

Marie Curie nurse Lola Rowe and Yorkshire Building Society Chief Executive Chris Pilling.

The fundraising challenge will be held on 25 June across the Society’s main office sites in Leeds, Bradford, Peterborough and Cheltenham to raise money for the Society’s Hour of Need campaign, which will enable Marie Curie Nurses to provide vital support for people living with a terminal illness and their families across the UK.

The current target to beat for largest cream tea party in multiple venues stands at 536 participants and the Society is hoping to have more than 660 colleagues taking part.

A cream tea party consists of tea being taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream, and jam.

“We love our cream teas in Yorkshire”

Chris Pilling, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society Group, said: “Everyone knows that we love our cream teas in Yorkshire, and as a Society we are committed to fundraising for Marie Curie, so it is a great way to combine these things and attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.

“The Hour of Need campaign is having a real impact on terminally ill people and their families in providing Marie Curie nursing support. We are aiming to raise half a million pounds over two years and funding 25,000 hours of Marie Curie nursing care is a massive motivation for all of us.”

Frances Quinn, winner of the Great British Bake Off will be starting off the attempt.

She said: “As someone who knows a thing or two about scones it was an honour to be asked to start off the attempt in Leeds to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest cream tea party in aid of Marie Curie.”

The event is being backed by the Cream Tea Society and jam-maker Tiptree and Cornish clotted cream manufacturer Rodda’s, who have agreed to provide strawberry jam and clotted cream.

An announcement on the outcome of the attempt will be made by the Society on National Cream Tea Day a day after the event.