A DESSERT business cheered up locals when they handed out free cupcakes on ‘Random Acts of Kindness Day’.

The Pudding Parlour gave out free cupcakes to local high street businesses and shoppers on Thursday, February 17.

“We knew that Random Acts of Kindness Day was approaching and decided that it would be a lovely gesture to hand out some free cupcakes to local people as a little pick-me-up,” co-owners Kristy Giblin and Greg Small said.

“We had a chat about it in the bakery and all agreed that a few local businesses deserved a special larger box of goodies for all they do for our local community.”

The owners, who are also siblings, found out on Friday, February 18 that the business has been shortlisted for the Family Business of the Year as the North East Finalist at the FSB Awards.

The FSB Awards celebrate the achievements of small businesses. The winners from each category get the chance to be crowned UK Small Business of the Year at the award ceremony in March, which would provide national recognition.

The Pudding Parlour also won County Winner for Northumberland at the prestigious National Bakery Awards held in London 2020, just weeks before the first lockdown.

Kristy and Greg, from Stocksfield, started The Pudding Parlour together in 2013 on Hexham’s Haugh Lane. They moved the business to Prudhoe in 2015 and streamlined the business to focus on trade supply due to huge demand, Kristy and Greg said.

They now supply more than 50 businesses across the North East, alongside selling directly to the public, through Prudhoe's large industrial bakery unit designed for large scale supply.

Baking sweet treats such as caramel egg slices, fudge stuffed cookies, and kinderella blondies, they also concoct celebration cakes including chocolate covered cakes and various layered cakes.

Kristy and Greg's passion for American sweet treats has earned them and the business many other accolades, including runner up for The North East Woman Entrepreneur of The Year in 2014 and The Glass Slipper Award for Best New Business.

The bakery decided their business neighbours at Low Prudhoe Royal Mail, various pharmacies in Prudhoe and Stocksfield, and Caffe Ginevra deserved a well-earned treat for their contributions to the community.

Kristy and Greg said: “We decided to make larger boxes of cupcakes for them using our edible printer, printing on their own logos too.”

Then they whipped up another batch that were boxed individually to hand out to members of the public.

Speaking of the response to their act of kindness, Kristy said: “The response was so lovely. Everyone was so shocked to get something for nothing. Someone even messaged us later in the day to thank us again and said that we had brightened up what had been a rubbish day so far and had turned it around for them. So many happy people and smiley faces really made our day.”

The Pudding Parlour is open Monday to Sunday from 9am till 5pm.