Mayor’s column

THE first Macmillan coffee morning was held in 1990 when a local fundraising committee held a coffee morning and donated the proceeds to Macmillan.

The first nationwide coffee morning took place in 1991 with 2,600 people registering to hold an event.

Each year, more and more people have registered, and in February 2012 Macmillan announced that 2011’s worlds biggest Coffee Morning raised a record 10 million to help people affected by cancer.

Over the years, the coffee mornings have diversified into many different fundraising events, from pub quizzes to garden parties, including world record attempts for the highest coffee morning (on a jet fighter in 2004), the most distant coffee morning (Antarctica) and the world’s deepest coffee morning (down Poldark mine, Cornwall in 2002).

The world’s biggest coffee morning is the flagship fund raising event for Macmillan.

Each year, members of the general public host their own coffee morning and here in Hyndburn is no exception as Sara and I found out as we visited a number of them.

The first event attended, earlier in the week was at Rhyddings Methodist Church, Oswaldtwistle where we ate delicious cake and drank coffee. A very happy morning which also provided an opportunity to catch up with former teaching colleague Jean Haworth and another old friend Dorothy Pickup.

Friday was a whirlwind of coffee mornings, beginning at Hippings Methodist School where we were welcomed by headteacher Mrs Westell and the Year 2 children who provided us with drinks and a cream cake breakfast.

Then after a quick stop at “The Property Shop” we went to Holy Trinity Church in Oswaldtwistle for a morning organised by The Walmsley Foundation, a new Hyndburn Charity and hosted by Josh Allen and Rev Anthony Roberts.

Here we caught up with pupils from St. Andrews’s Primary School who we met earlier in the year when we launched their Big Red Reading Bus.

It was then across to The Black Dog Pub to be greeted by Emma Kearney for yet more cakes and coffee. I have to admit that it was the first time I’ve been in there for non alcoholic beverages!

From there to Accrington to North Lancs Training Group, The Old Bakery where the young people prepared a delicious spread.

Then to Nuttall St where four local shops had got together to raise monies, coordinated by Sheena Tyldesly and Lisa Allen.

A quick stop at the council’s event then off to Crowning Glory Hairdressers in Clayton where we met Pam Holgate and her volunteers.

Now it was lunchtime so Sara and I enjoyed a giant hot dog each before meeting Elvis.

A great morning and one mirrored throughout the Borough at many similar events.

I believe that over £7,000 pounds was raised at the events we attended, so you can imagine how high the figure would be throughout the borough.

Lots of other events too, but don’t ask about the day I was lowered on a horse by a hoist at the disabled riding school!

Until next time ……