Health minister hails Ryan’s act of kindness for frontline workers

Health minister hails Ryan’s act of kindness for frontline workers

17 June 2020

HEALTH minister Robin Swann has put pen to paper to praise the efforts of the enterprising young Teconnaught man behind Ryan’s Cookie Box.

Ryan Bogues — who lives on the Drumnaconagher Road — is a renowned baker who raises money for charity with his culinary delights.

During the coronavirus lockdown, Ryan has been busy baking a range of tempting delights for healthcare staff and other frontline workers, with his efforts recognised by the man at the helm of the Department of Health.

In his letter to Ryan, Mr Swann said that he was recently made aware of Ryan’s Cookie Box and the 25 year-old’s efforts to reward as many frontline staff as he possibly could.

The health minister said Ryan, who has Down’s Syndrome, had mixed, baked, dressed, iced, created and delivered literally thousands of buns to a range of frontline staff including nurses, care workers and even hardworking officials behind the scenes at Stormont.

“I would like to personally thank you for your incredible act of kindness and wish you the best for your future endeavours,” added Mr Swann.

The young baker and his family are delighted that in the midst of an incredible workload and the pressures of public expectations, the health minister found the time and energy to send his message of thanks.

A spokesperson for the Bogues family confirmed that Ryan had received a letter from Mr Swann.

“It’s a letter of thanks to Ryan for baking the Not All Superheroes Wear Capes Thank You Hampers and it’s lovely,” the spokesperson continued.

“Mr Swann, it has to be said, already has a great name, but the baker boy reckons that ‘birdman’ suits him better. In fact, he is quite emphatic about it.

“So to the birdman on the hill, thank you so much for taking the time to write to Ryan and also for leading one of the toughest government jobs that there is at the moment with such tireless and measured determination.”

Before this year’s public health pandemic, Ryan’s baking had been raising around £1,000 every month for charities.

And he loves his days in the family kitchen baking scones, buns and his famous ‘endorphin bars’ — which are placed in an honesty box at the end of the driveway.