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Posted by Hannah Ashworth on September 29, 2022
Friday 30th of September is the official date for this year's World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, an annual event hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support fundraisers. But what happens on the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning and how did it all begin?
Back in 1990, Macmillan Cancer Support had a simple idea, a group of people could meet up, have a coffee together and give a small donation for cancer support at the same time.
Fast forward to 2022 and this idea has now become the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, and in 2021, it raised over £11 million pounds, a truly astonishing amount!
Ever since that first coffee morning in 1990, hundreds of millions of pounds have been raised for Macmillan so they can continue to give invaluable support to people and their families suffering from cancer.
In 1911, a young man named Douglas Macmillan watched his father die of cancer. His father's pain and suffering moved Douglas so much, he founded the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer.
Douglas wanted to make sure that there was help and information for those living with cancer, as well as voluntary nurses that could visit patients in their own homes.
Before Douglas' father died, he gave his son ten pounds.
Douglas used his inheritance of ten pounds to set up the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer, which later became Macmillan.
Over the decades since 1911, Macmillan has become one of the leading cancer charities in the UK, and that same ethos created by Douglas Macmillan still stands to this day.
Not only do Macmillan provide help to those who need it, but they are also a community; a forum for those living with cancer, and their families, to connect with other people facing the same challenges. This is key, as it stops people from becoming isolated.
You can find out more about the history of Macmillan Cancer Support here.
Taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is simple, you just have to sign up with Macmillan to host one.
Macmillan will send out a Coffee Morning Kit so you can get started. The complete classic kit includes bunting, balloons and a tablecloth, or you can choose the eco-conscious light kit with less paper and no plastic. Each kit includes recipes, a collection box, event posters and a game for your event.
Of course, certain things have changed because of coronavirus.
This year, along with being able to host or attend standard and socially distanced coffee mornings, there is the option of holding a virtual coffee morning if it would make you more comfortable, or if you are shielding or vulnerable. You can even download some backgrounds to make it extra fun for you and your guests.
Don't worry if you can't host or attend a coffee morning on September 30th, you can hold a coffee morning for Macmillan any time you'd like to. Your coffee morning for Macmillan can be whatever you'd like. You could host a barbecue in your garden or on your driveway or you could get together with friends and order a takeaway; the options are endless!
Baking (and eating) has become an integral part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning; people are encouraged to bake cakes, savouries and biscuits to bring along.
The success of The Great British Bake Off has seen baking have quite a resurgence over the past few years, not to mention how popular baking was during lockdown – it seemed like everyone became an artisan baker or professional cake decorator overnight!
Even if your oven is your worst enemy, you could bring in some cakes from a local bakery or supermarket to share with friends and colleagues.
Macmillan even have some fantastic recipes for people to try on their website – click here.
Cakes, savouries, sweet treats, vegan bakes, free from and everything in between; there’s no shortage of things to have a go with on their recipes page.
If you would like to host a coffee morning or find out if there is one being held near you, then you can find all the details here.
To give you an idea of just how invaluable these annual coffee mornings are for Macmillan, here are a few examples of what could be achieved if we help raise vital funds:
A donation of £52 will contribute towards running Macmillan’s online community, with over 750 people using the community for support.
£250 could pay for a family of five who are living with a family member with cancer to go to a health and wellbeing event.
£546 is enough to pay for a Macmillan Social Care Worker for one week. Providing families who are living with cancer help with managing social and practical daily living.
£1023 would be enough money to pay for a Macmillan nurse for a week, helping people living with cancer and their families to get essential medical and emotional support.
It’s incredible that what started out as a simple idea for a coffee morning has become the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in such a short space of time.
If you would like to try out hosting a coffee morning this year and inviting some guests over to raise money for a fantastic cause, you can find all the information on hosting your own Macmillan coffee morning here.
We here at Ability Superstore have all sorts of mobility aids to help you get baking for a good cause. Everything from talking measuring scales to quick peelers and graters to get those carrots cake ready. We also stock dining mobility aids, such as the Safe Sip Reusable Drinks Cover to make cake and coffee an enjoyable experience for all.
Why not sign up today and arrange to have a coffee morning at work, home or online with your friends, family and colleagues on the 30th of September, so that we can all do our bit to contribute to this worthy cause.
