Hello and welcome to March & April’s Baked Bean Insider!

And just like that, we’re into our March–April edition of The Baked Bean Insider! The past couple of months have been full of energy and momentum at Baked Beans. From getting our much-anticipated Charity Ball on its feet, to celebrating all things World Downs Syndrome Day and Autism Awareness Month, as usual we have been fit to burst with exciting affairs! On top of all that, our Agency actors stepped in front of the camera to film Series 2 of The Assembly, it’s been a season of big achievements.

Oh also, did someone say ‘BAFTA’? 👀

Get comfy, this one is a good’un!

Charlotte Bell
The Baked Bean Insider Editor

Eileen Feak, 1946-2026

We are deeply saddened to share the loss of our dear student, Eileen Feak, whose amazing personality and determination inspired us all at Baked Beans. This edition of The Baked Bean Insider is dedicated to her memory.

To celebrate her life, we’d like to share with you a eulogy written by our Student Welfare Lead, Lottie, which was read out at her funeral.

Eileen joined The Baked Bean Charity in 2006. She was one of the founding members of the group, Chilli Beans, and was part of this class for many, many years – performing in multiple shows, including ‘A Groovy Kinda Murder’, ‘Christmas with the Chilli Beans’, ‘The Runaway’ and ‘Their Finest Hour. She was also a part of Screen Beans and then the Baked Bean Theatre Company, where she continued to thrive. Over the years, Eileen developed many close and meaningful relationships with her peers and the staff at Baked Beans. She was always up for a giggle and always looked out for others – making sure everyone was alright. She was a talented artist and drew beautiful scenes of horses and flowers that still decorate our office. She also attended our Baked Bean holidays, where she loved swimming and having a well-earned shandy at the end of a long day! In March 2024, Eileen was selected to be in the pilot episode of The Assembly on BBC. She interviewed Michael Sheen and asked him if he likes gardening. This did not make the final cut, but if you watch the episode, you can see Eileen dancing along to The Beatle’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’. She also interviewed Gary Lineker the following year. Eileen loved music and would often request old classics like “Save all Your Kisses for Me” and “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” – especially if this meant she could dance with the younger men in her class! It is hard to describe how much everybody at Baked Beans loved Eileen. She was kind, gentle and caring. Eileen was always up for a laugh, especially if it was about something naughty.

She will be missed by all of us and forever cherished in our hearts.

The Wandsworth Corner Shop

We’re delighted to share the continued success of the London Borough of Culture’s Sing to Thrive project which our Baked Bean Choir took part in this month. This amazing initiative saw Community Facilitator, Aga Serugo-Lugo, bring people from Wandsworth together through the power of music to create a space for expression and community connection.

Throughout the process, The Baked Bean Choir played a central role, bringing their signature energy to every session. Across two collaborative workshops, the group worked alongside Aga and other local community groups to co-write an original song titled, “The Wandsworth Corner Shop”. The song celebrates the rich diversity of communities across Wandsworth, using the familiar setting of a corner shop to highlight how people from all walks of life come together in these shared spaces.

The project has been a fantastic example of how music can uplift and empower, and we’re so proud of everyone involved. Well done, Baked Bean Choir!

Stories that make sense

This month, 57 Varieties have been exploring a Sensory Storytelling project by using the powerful role of smell to bring stories to life. By introducing carefully selected scents, they aimed to transport students directly into the worlds of the stories, helping to deepen understanding. Let’s hear more about it from 57s Lead, Hayley.

“We explored improvised stories such as The Party and The Bakery, using a range of familiar and evocative smells to enhance each scene. For example, sweet scents and baking ingredients helped recreate the warmth and excitement of a bakery setting, while a mix of floral fragrances brought the lively atmosphere of a party to life.

These sensory elements allowed students to connect more with the narratives, making abstract ideas more tangible and inspire stories of their own. The students responded extremely positively to this approach and showed increased curiosity, participation, and enjoyment throughout the sessions. The ultimate aim is for students to work towards creating their own stories that tantalise all of the senses!”

Big Sims Day at Kings College

Our actors from BiE recently took part in a Big Sim Day at King’s College London, supporting the training of student nurses through a series of virtual GP appointment simulations.

Across the day, 10 actors worked online, each stepping into the role of Tony, a patient experiencing a bout of depression and a growing concern about a lack of support following the loss of their support worker. Through these sessions, students were able to practise navigating sensitive conversations, building rapport, and responding to complex emotional needs in a realistic environment.

The feedback highlighted how valuable it was to engage with learning-disabled actors to experience an authentic scenario. Our simulation work is always a powerful example of how to strengthen communication skills, and better prepare students for the challenges of frontline care.

If you would like to book our actors for your next event, contact us on info@bakedbeancharity.uk.

Fitness for All

From January to March 2026, The Baked Bean Dance Company worked alongside Guys & St Thomas’s NHS Trust and the South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) to create some fun and accessible dance fitness videos. These videos are designed to help people with learning disabilities living with cancer, encouraging them to keep fit and healthy throughout their cancer journey and beyond.

These videos will be shared nationally and available on the SELCA website once they are finished. The dancers took to this project with the utmost professionalism and not only danced with energy and enthusiasm, but also presented the educational videos using an autocue.

Katie Free (NHS) said:

“This project is really important, there’s nothing out there to help people with learning disabilities keep fit during their cancer treatment. We want to change that. [The Baked Bean Charity] should be very proud of their team – they are so professional and welcoming. Looking forward to seeing what it’s all going to look like!”

The Assembly takes off AGAIN!

Yup, Series 2 of The Assembly has officially landed on ITV this month, bigger, bolder, and already making serious waves with the nation! See our talent agency actors giving a new cohort of celebs the “grilling of a lifetime” (Radio Times).

It’s quickly cementing itself as one of the most talked-about shows of the month, which explains exactly why it has BEEN NOMINATED FOR A BAFTA! Yes, you read that right, our ground-breaking series has been nominated for one of the most prestigious honours in the industry. It’s a huge achievement, and one that feels thoroughly deserved.

Some of our favourite moments from our artists include:

Keep your eyes peeled for one bonus episode soon… 👀

All Might Happen

If that wasn’t enough, there’s even more to dive into. Check out a brand-new companion show on YouTube, All Might Happen, where unseen clips, behind-the-scenes insights, and special moments are explored in more depth with the producers of the show.

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Until next month

We hope you enjoyed reading our March-April edition.

Keep up to date with what we are doing by following us on socials, and look out for the summer instalment of the Insider, coming soon!

Until next time,

The Baked Bean Charity x