Have a Macmillan Coffee Morning!

Wednesday, 21 August 2024 08:00

By Adele Trathan

With this year’s Coffee Morning just around the corner on Friday 27 September, Adele Trathan speaks to Macmillan Cancer Support, who are calling on supporters to get involved again

Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning is their biggest fundraising event of the year and last year raised over £18 Morning is their biggest fundraising event of the year and last year raised over £18 million, enough to fund 288 Macmillan nurses for a year.

Someone is diagnosed with cancer in the UK at least every 90 seconds on average, and two in three people in the UK (64%) either have close family or close friends living with cancer or have been diagnosed with cancer themselves. The need for Macmillan’s support services therefore has never been greater.

The first Macmillan Coffee Morning was held in 1990 and over the years, the way fundraisers hold coffee mornings has changed. Starting from the simple idea of guests gathering and donating the cost of their coffee to Macmillan, people up and down the country have since thought of ever more novel ways to get people together.

Whether it’s shop-bought cake and biscuits with tea or a chai afternoon, a ‘barks and bakes’ dog walk or a kitchen disco in the office – at home or in the workplace, any time of the day, any day of the week, people can do Coffee Morning ‘their way’ – Coffee Morning is for everyone. Whether it’s a big or small affair, all the money raised will continue helping people with cancer live life as fully as they can.

Lisa Hammond from Bexhill-on- sea has been hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning for over ten years with her friend Pauline Canham and the support of friends, family and the local community. They held their first outside her beach hut in 2014 and it’s now become a ‘community event’, raising over £19,000 to help support people living with cancer.

Lisa said, “I would encourage anyone thinking of hosting a coffee morning to get involved. It feels so good to give something back and it’s a great opportunity to get friends, neighbours, and colleagues together. People often thank us for what we‘re doing as they’ve been supported by Macmillan themselves and we can’t wait to see everyone again this year.

“My mum sadly passed away from cancer whilst we were on the list for a beach hut, so when we got one, we thought it would be fitting to hold a Macmillan Coffee Morning there in her memory. That’s where it all started.

A few years later, as it rained so much, we relocated to the shelter on the promenade to escape and haven’t looked back. More people can see us, and access is better, so it’s worked really well. It’s become a community event with locals asking us when we are hosting and ‘regulars’ coming along every year. Even the mayor often pops by!

“It really is a team effort. Local businesses donate many of the ingredients we use to bake cakes and biscuits, as well as gifts for the raffle, and we couldn’t do it without everyone who helps on the day.

“Ironically, I was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years ago, but I was more determined than ever to go ahead with the coffee morning. Pauline has been there right from the start and has also had cancer herself, so Macmillan is a cause close to both of us as they were there for us when we needed them.

“My Macmillan nurse was a godsend and really had my back. She was there through all the stressful times when appointments were cancelled, providing reassurance. I was also directed to all the different kinds of support out there like complementary therapies and counselling. I can’t praise them enough.”

Lisa and Pauline’s coffee morning takes place on Saturday 21 September at West Parade, Bexhill-on-sea from 10.30am until everything goes. Everyone is welcome to drop by.

To find out more about hosting a Coffee Morning or to receive your free fundraising kit visit: www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee-morning

For anyone concerned about cancer or their care, call the Macmillan Support Line: 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk

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Have a Macmillan Coffee Morning!

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