Getting behind Amnesty with… well, tea

Guest blogger James Ramsden is an Amnesty supporter and a London-based foodie - he writes about it, hosts secret larder dinner parties and even has his own cook book. Here's James on supporting our work simply by eating cake!

Having long admired Amnesty’s fearlessness and tirelessness in tackling the most daunting issues in global society, I’ve been a supporter of Amnesty since I was 16 years old.

For me, they deal with one of the most fundamental, yet most abused issues. I am incredibly lucky to have never had to deal with deprivation, abuse, and suspension of human rights, so it feels important to do a bit to help those who haven't been so lucky. Who knew you could do it with cake?

In May I went to an AmnesTea and stuffed myself with tea and cake in aid of Amnesty’s work.

For any aspiring AmnesTea hosts out there, a good drop scone with butter and jam is always a winner and it barely needs a recipe:

In essence you mix 150g of plain flour with a teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar. Beat a couple of eggs and mix these through the dry ingredients along with 100ml milk. Beat until smooth. Melt some butter in a non-stick pan or skillet and drop spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden and serve with more butter and jam.

If you’re hosting your own AmnesTea remember to keep things relatively simple, and make sure you can do most of the bits and pieces in advance. Warm your teapots and cups, and be generous with butter.

If you like the sound of Jame's drop scone and raising money for our work, then get your free AmnesTea pack including posters, invites and even some bunting!