COPE WITH HER DEMENTIA

Baking with Mum helps us

- TANYA PEAREY

Enomwoyi Damali lives in Lewisham, London, with mum, Pearl, 87, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014

Baking has always been an important part of our family life. Mum’s grandmother owned a cake shop in Trinidad, where she baked on the premises to sell to the men working on the oil fields. Mum spent a lot of time with her, learning to bake. When she came to this country in 1963, she brought her baking skills with her.

Every Saturday was baking day in our house. I have happy memories as a child of sitting on the floor at Mum’s knee, watching her whip butter and sugar in an earthenware bowl on her lap on a tea towel.

When I had children I carried on the tradition. These days, I bake with my seven-year-old granddaughter and Mum.