Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Sieve the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Heat the butter, sugar, and syrup until dissolved. Allow the sugar mixture to cool slightly, then mix it into the dry ingredients to form a dough. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Stamp out the gingerbread animal shapes with a cutter, then re-roll any off-cuts and repeat the process. Place your gingerbread shapes on the lined trays, allowing space for them to spread. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, unleash your creativity using edible paint, icing, and festive decorations!