Edale mum cooks up the perfect home

Mum-of-three Julie Morton says she can’t wait to start cooking up a treat in her new home, thanks to Peak District Rural Housing Association.

For not only does Julie work on her parents’ farm, she is also a talented cake maker whose cakes, pastries, pies and other sweet and savoury creations are in real demand in and around the village of Edale.

Julie is looking forward to moving into a three-bedroom property in the village with her three children, Edward, aged 19, Hannah, 16 and 12-year-old Mary, after purchasing it through PDRHA’s shared ownership scheme.

The move will offer the family a much-needed fresh start after several years in a cramped rented cottage.

Julie says: “We currently live in a tiny two up, two down property and as the children got older, bedrooms became an issue.  As a result, I’ve been sleeping downstairs on a sofa bed for the past 11 years!

“Our new property has three bedrooms and will be absolutely ideal for us.

“It was very important to me to remain in Edale as we have lots of connections here.  My parents farm is here, I’m Vice Chairman of the parish council and my children have all gone to school here.

“I couldn’t ever imagine leaving.”

Julie’s new property will also come with the perfect kitchen for her hobby, which involves baking to order for a wide range of local customers.

She currently supplies cakes to two cafes in Edale and nearby Hope, as well as to the local country market.  In addition, she enjoys making celebration cakes and a range of other treats for special occasions.

She says: “I’ve had the knack of making sponge cakes since I was at secondary school and it has just grown from there.  I think I inherited a talent for baking from my grandma.

“I must make at least 20 cakes most weeks these days. I get up early in the morning to bake and I’m still baking late at night.  It’s a way of life for me now.

“I can’t quite believe I’ll soon be baking in a home of my own.  It’s a dream come true.”