A bumper delivery of cupcakes is the icing on the cake for a group of tenants taking part in an award-winning self-development program at a Brisbane affordable housing development.

The year-long tenant engagement program provides networking, life skills and access to support services for the residents of the eight-storey Bonney Lane development in Fortitude Valley, owned by not-for-profit affordable housing company BHC.

Brisbane cake designer and owner of The Flour Girl, Sherie Harper, was so moved after hearing the personal stories of the tenants involved in the program, she baked 200 cupcakes for the Bonney Lane residential community.

“I had the radio on in my car and heard about this program and how it was helping people overcome obstacles like homelessness and enabling some residents to recover from alcohol and drug abuse,” she said.

“It doesn’t take much to have a lapse in judgement or find yourself totally different direction and I wanted to do one small thing to help.”

BHC business development manager Rebecca Oelkers said the program – which resulted from a partnership with homelessness, housing and community agency consortium Under 1 Roof – had touched many lives.

“This program has gone one step further, offering a range of social and recreational opportunities such as weekly cooking lessons, craft workshops, a book exchange and excursions throughout south-east Queensland,” Rebecca said.