Last August Cllr Susan Rae, who is an avid watcher of some of the reality shows on TV when she gets the chance, thought it would be appropriate for the winner of the Great British Sewing Bee to be honoured with a civic reception.

Cllr Rae lodged a motion and tonight, now that Covid restrictions have been relaxed, a reception was held to honour Serena Baker who won the competition last year. Ms Baker is a medical student in Edinburgh who is due to graduate in 2023.

Cllr Joan Griffiths MBE the Depute Lord Provost welcomed Ms Baker and her friends to the Lady Provost’s room at the City Chambers on Friday evening.

Cllr Susan Rae with Serena Baker the winner of the Great British Sewing Bee – a medical student in Edinburgh – was honoured with a civic reception at the City Chambers with Depute Lord Provost Cllr Joan Griffiths MBE PHOTO ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter
Serena Baker the winner of the Great British Sewing Bee – a medical student in Edinburgh – was honoured with a civic reception at the City Chambers with Depute Lord Provost Cllr Joan Griffiths MBE PHOTO ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter

The text of the motion was:

By Councillor Rae – Great British Sewing Bee Winner

“Council is delighted to recognise and congratulate Ms Serena Baker, the Glasgow born Edinburgh medical student, currently in her fourth year of study, who took time out from nurturing patients to nurture our hearts and minds by winning The Great British Sewing Bee 2021.

Her skill, precision, dexterity and creativity together with her warmth and personality revealed her to be an enormous credit to both cities, and her country, but more importantly, in a time of crisis, to the NHS which we are all incredibly thankful for.

With links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Serena became the third winner of iconic programmes this year, following Edinburgh student Peter Sawkins Bake-off win and Glasgow’s Laurence Chaney who took the Drag Race crown, ensuring a clean sweep for Scotland.

Council asks that Serena be officially congratulated by the Lord Provost, and that she and her family be invited to celebrate with us at a suitable event in the future when such events resume.”

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