Coffee morning for cancer charity to fall £20m short

THE annual Macmillan coffee morning fundraiser faces a £20million shortfall this year due to the coronavirus, the charity has warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support’s coffee morning, one of the UK’S longest-running events, is held at cafés, shops, schools, offices and hospitals every September, with an average of 200,000 people registering to take part.

But this year, in response to the pandemic, Macmillan has had to change the format. The charity suggests hosting a socially-distanced coffee morning safely from the doorstep, or taking on a challenge such as a sponsored event, or setting up a virtual coffee morning and making a donation online.

Last year, the coffee morning raised £27.5million but early estimates show only a third of that may be achieved this year, the lowest amount since 2009.

The charity, which relies on donations for 98 per cent of its income, said it was “facing the hardest year in its 109year existence” as it juggles the delivery of critical support for patients with the dramatic estimated shortfall. Many of the charity’s other fundraising events have also been badly hit, including the London Marathon.

Macmillan said a loss of £20million represents about 9 per cent of its total fundraised income for 2019 and would have covered the cost of more than 350 Macmillan specialist cancer nurses in England for a year.

The charity is preparing its support services for a predicted influx of demand later this year as the consequences of the pandemic continue to be felt, especially by people with cancer.

Claire Rowney, its executive director of fundraising, marketing and communications, said: “Macmillan relies on donations to provide care and support for 1.9 million people affected by cancer every year. Sadly this could be at risk without income from events like the Coffee Morning.

“There has never been a more terrifying time to receive a diagnosis as people face potential disruption or delays to treatment, amid an increased risk of infection to the coronavirus.

The official date for the coffee morning is Friday, Sept 25, but the charity said that people could arrange the fundraiser whenever they liked.