Emily Howarth and David Seet cook up one of their specials

AFTER a two-year hiatus, pancakes were finally back on the menu at a Hornsey Rise church this week.

St Mary’s Church celebrated pancake day with some flipping fun on Tuesday, as volunteers staged a takeover of the kitchen to cook up a feast for their guests.

Some very excited children doused their pancakes in as much golden syrup as they could get away with – although a healthier vegan option was on offer too.

“Pancake day is a crossover: it’s got its roots in Christianity but everyone enjoys it,” said vicar-in-training Emily Howarth.

Reverend Tamsin Merchant

Churchgoer David Seet said: “I volunteer here every year for pancake day. Somebody roped me into it once and I found it so fun I’ve done it ever since. We’ve missed it because of Covid which was a shame, but it’s good to be back.”

Reverend Tamsin Merchant said: “It feels quite emotional to open up for a community event like this – it’s our first event like this [since Covid], and pancake day was the first event I ran when I joined this church 10 years ago. There are lots of new faces along with the children we already know which is brilliant. This is about community and helping each other.

“It’s great to see so many people here: before Covid, we would have leafleted, but now we can get the message out via WhatsApp.”

Volunteer Karoly Czifra said: “It’s good to be giving back: we should all find time to do it.”