Carol Andrews, Gillian Ashton and friends enjoying their coffee morning Vivienne Johnson
September 26 saw the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning as generous hearted people got together to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
From Battle Library to Reading’s YMCA, and coffee shops such as Riddlers Coffee House at Cemetery Junction to people’s kitchen tables you could find somewhere to indulge in a fancy and a cup of tea.
Macmillan Coffee Mornings are the charity’s biggest fundraising event, last year raising a record £20 million from generous supporters across the UK.
Macmillan’s website says: ‘Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face. And as treatments improve, more and more people are living with cancer in their daily lives. The money you raise at your coffee morning will help make sure no one has to face cancer alone, from the moment they’re diagnosed, through treatment and beyond.’
Carol Andrews works for McMillan as a Volunteer Befriender and along with friends and family organised a Macmillan coffee morning at her home in Reading. ‘I want to raise money so that I can help people,’ she said.
Fellow Befriender Gillian Ashton explained a little about the work they do for the charity: ‘I look after older people with cancer. Everyone is affected by cancer in a different way.
‘Macmillan Cancer Support funds nurses for three years, after that the NHS pays.
‘Macmillan’s is mainly run by volunteers, we give confidence to people until they can get back on their feet; we also provide palliative care.’
Carol got involved as a Befriender with Macmillan after she had visited the hospital with a health scare of her own. ‘I was waiting to go in to see the doctor and I met people in the waiting room who were terrified. I wanted to go over to them and say “It’ll be all right,” I just wanted to help.’
Gillian became involved when she looked on the Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) website looking for volunteering opportunities with older people. ‘Senior citizens get forgotten about,’ she said. ‘A lot are lonely and I wanted to help in some way. I saw the new volunteering scheme and thought I’d like to give it a go.’
You can find out more about the work of Macmillan Cancer Support here: coffee.macmillan.org.uk
RVA volunteering opportunities rva.org.uk
Laura from Riddlers Coffee, who donated her day’s takings
to Macmillan as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
Last modified on Saturday, 04 October 2014 06:05
