Julie Young sourced a special rose biscuit stamper and set about making hundreds of treats to support mental health charity Mind
Julie Young, of Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, created Mariella Rose biscuits in memory of a teenager tragically lost in a road traffic accident(Image: Juliescakeryhosm)
An East Yorkshire mum devastated by the tragic death of teenager Mariella Rose put on oven gloves and got baking as a way of escaping her grief – and to honour the memory of the much-loved girl. Julie Young’s daughter was best friends with Mariella, 17, who was working towards a career in the police force when she passed away in a road traffic accident between her car and a tractor at Everingham, on March 30.
On April 10, the mum-of-four, who runs Julie’s Cakery business from her home in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, began fundraising for Mind in memory of Mariella, with her Mariella Rose biscuits. Overwhelming demand for the lemon or chocolate chip shortbread treats, decorated with a yellow rose (Mariella’s favourite colour) saw Julie go on to bake 579 biscuits, raising a total of £900 for the charity.
Mariella volunteered for the Mind charity shop, in Pocklington, and this is where Julie arranged to hand over the amazing sum of money to shop manager Debbie Phillips, on Friday, June 5. Julie’s final batch of 48 Mariella Rose biscuits – she had been selling them individually or in boxes of six or 12 via her Facebook page – were prepped and ready to go out on June 1, when she posted: “My final total was at £894 raised but a beautiful lady donated £6 to get it to a nice even number … £900 will be donated to Mind in memory of Mariella Rose.”
Julie, who has been running Julie’s Cakery for four years, said: “My daughter Emma was one of Mariella’s best friends; they’d been friends since senior school and they went on to work together at McDonald’s. I shall never forget the night Christine [Mariella’s mum] rang and asked if we were with the children – I have three girls and a boy.
“She said Mariella had died in a car accident and we just broke down. Emma had only been talking to her that morning – Mariella was just a year older than Emma and like a big sister to my younger two.”
Julie said: “Time went on and I just needed to do something; the grief was overwhelming. Because of my business I couldn’t take time to grieve.
“Because Mariella’s surname was Rose, I thought, I’ll do something simple but beautiful to sell to raise money.” Julie, who makes traybakes and cupcakes as well as biscuits, and supplies local shops and businesses with her bakes, as well as taking bespoke orders, said: “Some people just donated money – they said they didn’t eat biscuits but wanted to give.”
Debbie, at the Mind shop, said: “I have just been to what would have been Mariella’s 18th birthday. She had wonderful friends.
“They put on an amazing do for her – everyone was in Hawaiian shirts and there were blow-up pineapples. It was heartbreaking but lovely.”
Debbie said: “Mariella had to do work experience as part of her college course and I was honoured to have her here. She still wanted to continue volunteering after that and I think it’s lovely that she stayed when she didn’t have to be here.
“Mariella was hilarious, really cheeky and she got on with everyone. Whether they were 18 or older ladies who volunteer here, she got on with everybody – and she always had a funny story about what had happened at college that week.
“She was brilliant and she brightened my Saturdays. She would come in and give the biggest smiles and hugs.”
Debbie said the effort by Julie for Mind was “amazing” and “just the sort of thing Mariella herself would have done”. She said: “She would do anything for you, she was a real ray of sunshine. We’ve had her photo up in the shop since it happened.”
Mariella’s mum Christine said: “Mariella loved baking. To see her passion bring a much- needed donation to the Mind shop and her lovely colleagues is something beautiful.”
The family are running their own fundraising in memory of Mariella, with the aim of providing assistance to young people with dyslexia and those seeking a diagnosis. The Mariella Rose Foundation’s initial target of £7,000 has already been surpassed. More donations via the JustGiving appeal page will enable the Foundation to help even more people.
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