The King had the vital ingredients to join in a cake baking session during a visit alongside the Queen to a pub which offers free food supplies to locals

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Charles meets staff at The Warehouse(Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)

The King helped to make a cake as he visited a former pub that has been transformed into a bustling community pub.

On the penultimate engagement of his and the Queen’s three-day trip to Northern Ireland, the couple visited The Warehouse in Newtownards, which offers free food supplies – made from surplus ingredients from supermarkets and other household essentials to anybody in the local area who needs it.

Arriving at the Warehouse, he was met by operations manager Meghan Wiemann, who showed the King the supplies they received each day from supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco as well as the 150 meals they prepare each day in boxes for people to take home.

Megan told the King how there is no criteria for people to use the food hub, explaining it is open to all in the community – and even he could take some bread home if he wanted.

He learned how all the food they use is from surplus supplies that would have otherwise ended up in the bin before asking how creative they have to get with the recipes and being told they’ve even made dishes such as spicy peach chicken.

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King Charles smells a batter at The Warehouse(Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)

Charles then headed into the kitchen to meet the three on-site chefs, including head chef Dawn Stewart, who put the King to work.

She asked him if he would like to help mix a gluten free chocolate cake and laughed and said: “Cake mixing” before taking the whisk and stirring the mixture.

He was told it was a good way for the Warehouse to use up all of their eggs and flour and asked about the ingredients before giving the whisk a sniff and when told it contained chocolate powder added: “I like the smell.”

Halfway through the visit, Camilla joined her husband at the venue after an earlier engagement.

When she arrived, she was told about the creative projects on offer – one of them is ‘Blind Date with a Book’, where people discover new stories and authors by being offered books wrapped in plain paper and only a short synopsis.

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Queen Camilla meets local traders at a community celebration at the two-day festival in Conway Square, Newtownards,(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)

David Haire, community manager at the Warehouse gave Camilla a book wrapped in paper with the synopsis saying: “From mountains to lakes, from country to shore – the sound of winds the call of birds…” , which she took to read later.

In exchange, she gave David a book wrapped in paper containing the King and Queen’s cypher – and when she was told about how popular the project is told those taking part: “You must join my reading room.”

In the garden, the King and Queen then met even more volunteers who help out at the Warehouse, including Connie, Callum and Sam, who are supported by East Coast Day Opportunities, which helps young adults with learning disabilities.

The group has volunteered at the hub by helping to clear the garden and presented the King with a gift – a framed picture containing stones decorated like bees.

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Queen Camilla made an instant new friend during her visit to Conway Square, Newtownards(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)

He asked them if they had made the bees out of clay but was told they were made from stones they had collected at the beach. He told them: “Thank you very much, I’m very grateful. You must have a very steady hand.”

Before leaving the couple joined together to cut a cake with Charles telling everyone they must have some with their lunch and as crowds gathered outside the pair went on an impromptu walkabout.

Megan Wiemann said: “It was nerve-wracking beforehand but they were both so down to earth and friendly. They seemed really impressed with what we are doing here helping the community. It has been so wonderful.”

SOURCE: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/king-charles-whisks-up-storm-37188336