Nothing stops a Macmillan Coffee Morning as the annual fundraiser turns 30 this year

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Macmillan Cancer Support is asking people to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning to fund vital support for people living with cancer as the annual event turns 30.

Traditionally, Macmillan Coffee Morning has seen thousands of people across Wales tuck into cakes and enjoy a cuppa with pals, neighbours and strangers.

This year the charity is appealing for people to get involved at a time when it needs people’s support more than ever to be there for people with cancer.

Covid-19 may mean we are not allowed to pack into houses, village halls or community centres in the same way we’ve all enjoyed before, but there are lots of different ways to get involved in a Macmillan Coffee Morning whenever, wherever and in whatever way you can to help Macmillan support people with cancer.

Macmillan is doing everything it can to provide vital emotional, financial or clinical support for people living with cancer who are going through a challenging time.  Before Covid-19, many patients told Macmillan being diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment was the scariest thing they could imagine.

These anxieties and concerns have not gone away during the pandemic – they’ve been made worse by this crisis – meaning Macmillan needs support from you more than ever before.

The charity’s work is almost entirely funded by donations and every penny raised at a Coffee Morning helps them to provide vital support to people with cancer.

This could include:

£10 – This could help run our vital phone service for cancer patients and could lead to our welfare rights advisers on our Macmillan Support Line helping people affected by cancer to claim £396 in benefits they are entitled to.

£30 – This could pay for 50 copies of cancer information booklets. These booklets are one of our most popular resources, offering advice and information on sources of support to people affected by cancer, who may experience a wide range of emotions including fear, loneliness, and anger.

£60 – This could pay for a Macmillan grant that buys a good quality liquidiser for someone who can’t eat solid food as a result of their cancer or treatment.

£150 – This could pay for a Macmillan grant that buys new clothes for someone experiencing a change in weight or body shape while undergoing cancer treatment, helping them feel better about the way they look.

Nikki James, Area Fundraising Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, explains:

“We’re incredibly excited about Macmillan Coffee Morning 2020 and this year we’re asking people across Wales to get involved in whatever way they can to raise crucial funds to help us support people with cancer.

“Whether you host an event at home or at work, online, in the morning or evening, bake a showstopper or buy one of the limited edition products from our headline partner Marks & Spencer, the money you raise will enable Macmillan to continue providing vital services such as our helpline, our grants and our nurses.

“Demand for our cancer support services is greater than ever, but, due to coronavirus, we are facing a significant drop in our income and we can’t continue to be there for all the people who need us without your support.”

 

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

  1. Sign up at macmillan.org.uk/coffee or by searching Macmillan Coffee Morning.
  2. The official Macmillan Coffee Morning is on Friday September 25 but supporters are encouraged to hold their Coffee Morning whenever suits them. Whether it’s in the garden, the office kitchen, outside the community hall, at school, or on the street for your neighbours to enjoy, make sure to have plenty space and easy access.
  3. This year we are also encouraging everyone to get involved to do whatever they can to raise money, which could involve taking on a new special challenge; for example you could run, cycle, knit or bake to raise funds to support people living with cancer. For more details about other ways to get involved this year visit our website
  4. Buy one of the limited-edition M&S products. Throughout September, our headline partner Marks & Spencer will be selling a selection of Coffee Morning products in M&S food halls – including a bespoke Macmillan Colin the Caterpillar cake and a specially designed travel cup and mug – with 10 per cent of proceeds going to Macmillan.
  5. Have a personal Coffee Morning of your own every day in September at an M&S Café, where there will be a 5p donation from M&S for every hot coffee and slice of cake sold throughout September.