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Cancer didn’t stop during the pandemic and neither did Macmillan, so the charity needs you to help out by raising a cuppa
Charities across our county have been facing challenging times since the coronavirus outbreak brought disruptions to our lives , putting fundraising on the back burner for many.
Fundraising events have been cancelled due to social distancing restrictions and the coffers need a boost so that our much-needed charities can continue to support people in need.
Macmillan provides cancer support and its aim is to make sure no-one goes through cancer alone.
Emma Hammett, Macmillan’s fundraising manager for Sussex, explained the pandemic had caused extra concerns for those with cancer and that support was currently more important that ever.
She said: “Before Covid-19, many patients told Macmillan that being diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment was the scariest thing that they could imagine.
“These anxieties and concerns have not gone away during the pandemic – they’ve been made worse by this crisis - meaning that Macmillan needs support from the British public more than ever to continue to provide the vital support people living with cancer rely on.”
The charity is almost entirely funded by donations and is calling on the public to host or attend a coffee morning.
Macmillan is famous for its annual World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event and the charity says this year will be no exception.
The annual fundraiser is dedicated to bringing people together over a cuppa to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
There are lots of ways to get involved and Macmillan is calling on everyone to play a part. From a small socially distanced cuppa in your garden, a big street partystyle event to a virtual coffee morning via Zoom, there are plenty of ways to get involved no matter what the circumstances.
The first ever Macmillan coffee morning happened way back in 1990. It was a rather small affair with a simple idea: guests would gather over coffee and donate the cost of their cuppa to Macmillan in the process.
It was so effective, they held the event again the next year and it has grown in popularity and become a great success. Since 1990, Macmillan coffee mornings have raised more than £275 million.
There is no better time to start planning your coffee morning and it is easy to get involved.
The official date for 2020 is Friday, September 25 but the charity is encouraging people to take part whenever they can.
Macmillan relies in donations to make a difference to the lives of those with cancer and the money raised at coffee mornings up and down Sussex, and the rest of the country, can have a huge impact.
Every 90 seconds someone in the UK is diagnosed 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.
Every penny raised at a coffee morning helps Macmillan to provide vital support to people with cancer, who need it now more than ever.
For example £10 could help run the charity’s vital phone service for cancer patients, and could lead to its welfare rights advisers on the Macmillan Support Line helping people affected by cancer to claim £396 in benefits they are entitled to.
Just £30 could pay for 50 copies of cancer information booklets. These booklets are one of Macmillan’s 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.
If you raised £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.
If your coffee morning raised £100 this could pay for a health professional to attend a specialised conference on approaches to cancer treatment, run by Macmillan.
A grant of £150 could buy new clothes for someone experiencing a change in weight or body shape while undergoing cancer treatment, helping them feel better about the way they lo ok.
Macmillan also provides training and if you managed to raise £200 at your coffee morning you could be paying for the training of a person affected by cancer to become a cancer support course facilitator.
This is an accredited course which develops participants cancer awareness, communication and counselling skills to better support other people affected by cancer.
Macmillan Coffee Mornings help to bring our communities together as well as raising money, so we would love to see your photographs and find out how you are doing your bit to help.
We will use the pictures and information in our newspaper and on our website.
Email your pictures to news@chiobserver.co.uk and don’t forget to include your name, address and fundraising total.
Macmillan needs support from the British public more than ever
EMMA HAMMETT Fundraising manager for Sussex