Cakes and raffle at Homebasics in Ramsgate in aid of Cleft Lip and Palate Association

Pam and Ivan Todd, pictured with daughter Jenny, at Homebasics

Homebasics cookshop and housewares in Ramsgate is holding a two- day cake sale for CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association) on May 10-11.

The event will include a raffle for the chance to win a cake made by Nicola Bradshaw from the Little Brown Fairy Cake in Westgate.

Nicola’s previous creations include a 6ft cake BFG! Nannies Homemade Cakes will also be supplying goodies

Raffle tickets, costing £1 for five, will be sold at the event with the draw taking place at around 3pm on May 11.

The event is organised by Jenny Lyons, whose parents Ivan and Pam own the Queen Street store.

CLAPA is a small charity that raises awareness for babies, children and adults born with cleft lips and palates. Each May the charity holds an awareness week which, this year, runs from May 4-12. Also this year, on June 15, CLAPA marks its 40th anniversary,

Each year one in 700 babies are born in the UK with either a cleft lip, palate or both.

This is caused at between 6-8 weeks. The palate is not seen on a scan so parents wouldn’t know until their baby is born.

Babies with clefts are not always able to suckle so breast feeding is often not an option. The mum can express milk for baby and use a special bottle that is supplied from CLAPA along with specialist cleft nurses to show mums how to feed their baby. The lip is normally repaired at around three months of age and the palate about 9/12 months although these ages vary.

The number of operations a child will undergo also varies and can go on into the teens and even adulthood Braces are also required as is speech therapy, mainly if a cleft palate is involved, and can go in blocks over the years depending on further operations.

Glue ear is associated with clefts and this can cause hearing problems requiring either surgery to fit Grommets or fitting hearing aids.

CLAPA has been working on a project for adults known as the CLAPA adults survey and gathering information from as many adults born with clefts as possible. Questions include how growing up with a cleft has had an impact and how things can be improved around  treatments.

Read here: This Ramsgate store worker will be appealing to your sweet tooth to raise cash for a vital charity

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