THIS month marked the start of a coeliac awareness health campaign. Local baker Christine Willis has just wiped the floor at the 2013 FreeFrom Food Awards with her gluten-free culinary creations.

Six years ago, Christine was a freelance graphic designer who enjoyed cooking.

After she was diagnosed as a coeliac she started experimenting with gluten-free puddings.

Christine said: “In 2007 I was invited by Giles Henschel, from Olives Et Al in Sturminster Newton, to take part in a food festival he was running.

“I wasn’t making products for sale at the time so I asked him what I could sell.

“He suggested a Christmas pudding that I had been making for family and a few friends for the past 20 years.

“I didn’t know how many to make, but produced 70, which I thought would be plenty.

“They flew off the stand and I sold out well before the end of the show!”

Christine started to make other puddings that were highly commended in the Freefrom Awards.

She said: “Two years ago I started making gluten-free pastry, which enabled me to extend my range to include sweet and savoury filled tarts.

This year her Frangipane Tart won the category for scones, sweet tarts, bakewells and cookies, as well as being overall runner-up from amongst 340 products for the Best FreeFrom Food trophy. Christine’s Puddings is now based at a unit at Gold Hill Organic Farm in Child Okeford.

She adds: “My goal is to make interesting and tasty products that everyone can enjoy and everything is gluten-free!”

Christine’s products are available from Gold Hill Organic Farm and other local stores or by via website christinespuddings.co.uk