Entertainment

Women's Institute members in The Archers make Red Nose Day baking appeal

Jill Archer, Jennifer Aldridge, Lynda Snell and Susan Carter are wearing the pinnies for Comic Relief.
Jill Archer, Jennifer Aldridge, Lynda Snell and Susan Carter are wearing the pinnies for Comic Relief. Jill Archer, Jennifer Aldridge, Lynda Snell and Susan Carter are wearing the pinnies for Comic Relief.

Members of the Women’s Institute in The Archers, the world’s longest-running soap, have donned aprons for a photoshoot to urge people to bake for Red Nose Day.

Some of the Radio 4 soap’s most famous female characters – Jill Archer, Jennifer Aldridge, Lynda Snell and Susan Carter – have been snapped together standing next to a table laden with cakes.

Patricia Greene, who has played The Archers’ matriarch Jill, the “lynchpin” of Ambridge life, since 1957, said: “It’s a real honour to be involved in such a tremendous cause and be a part of Red Nose Day.

The Archers is doigng its bit for Red Nose Day (Stuart Wood/Red Nose Day/Press Association Images)
The Archers is doigng its bit for Red Nose Day (Stuart Wood/Red Nose Day/Press Association Images)
The Archers is doing its bit for Red Nose Day (Stuart Wood/Red Nose Day/PA)

“We hope the aprons will carry the Comic Relief message into tens of thousands of kitchens and help countless lives both here in the UK and in Africa.”

She added: “We’re delighted the range features aprons for adults and children, inspiring the whole family to bake together and raise some dough.”

The Ambridge Woman’s Institute (WI) was co-founded by Doris Archer in 1927.

Listeners have heard the WI campaign on GM crops, climate change, a fair deal for dairy farmers, post offices and the plight of the honey bee.

At the centre of village life, they have been an instrumental part of countless village fetes, flower and produce shows, harvest suppers and cake sales.The HomeSense Red Nose Day aprons, featuring animals in the design, have been created by fashion and portrait photographer Rankin.Baking has been one of the most popular fundraising activities for Red Nose Day, which this year takes place on Friday March 24.

Victoria Wood died after a battle with cancer (Peter Jordan/PA)
Victoria Wood died after a battle with cancer (Peter Jordan/PA)
The late Victoria Wood (Peter Jordan/PA)

The BBC previously aired The Great Comic Relief Bake Off, won by Victoria Wood in 2015, before Bake Off was poached by Channel 4.



The Red Nose Day aprons are available in HomeSense and TK Maxx stores nationwide.