Staff at six funeral homes across Burton, South Derbyshire and North West Leicestershire are backing the world's biggest coffee morning - with a special fund-raising drive.
Colleagues from Central England Co-operative funeral homes will be opening their doors to the public on or around Friday, September 29 to play their part in supporting the annual Macmillan Cancer Support's Biggest Coffee Morning.
Every year people from across the country gather together to have a catch up, a cuppa and a slice of cake while helping to support the event, which raised £29.5 million in 2016.
Last year, 7,904 coffee mornings were held across the East Midlands region, raising almost £2.2 million to help provide essential support for people with the disease. The event – now in its 27th year – helped raise £330,000 in Staffordshire last year alone.
Now, Central England Co-operative Funeralcare is encouraging everyone to get involved. A total of 78 events and activities are being held across the Central England Co-operative trading region to raise funds for Macmillan.
Kevin Crute, head of funeral at Central England Co-operative, said: "Everyone at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare is proud to once again support Macmillan Cancer Support’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
"Holding these events offers a great opportunity for us to meet members of the local community and at the same time raise funds for a very deserving cause. Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the refreshments."
The first official World's Biggest Coffee Morning took place in 1990 and has gone on to be the biggest fund-raising event of its kind, raising over £165 million for people affected by cancer.
Pauline Lewis, fund-raising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support in the East Midlands, said: "We are delighted that Central England Co-operative is supporting our World’s Biggest Coffee Morning again this year.
"Last year their funeral homes raised an incredible £12,707.92, which was just amazing. Having a coffee morning is the perfect chance to chat, drink, eat cake and bring staff and their community together.
"One in two of us will face a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime, and the money Central England Co-operative raises at their Coffee Mornings will have a massive impact on the vital cancer services we are able to provide to support people affected by cancer. We can't thank them enough for their support."
Planned events in Burton, South Derbyshire and North West Leicestershire include:
- WB Bradford Funeral Services, held at Age Concern, High Street, Measham, from 10am to noon on Friday 29 September.
- Ward and Brewin, West Street, Swadlincote, from 10am on Friday 29 September.
- Wellings Funeral Service, Derby Street, Burton, from 10.30am on Friday 29 September.
- AE Grice Funeral Service, held at Ashby Methodist Church, Burton Road, from noon on Friday 29 September.
- Co-operative Funeralcare, Borough Street, Castle Donington, from 10am on Monday, 25 September.
- JH Grice, in Hatton, held at Tutbury Institute on Friday, September 29
Are you hosting a coffee morning? We'd love to see photos from your event here at the Burton Mail.
If you love the idea of raising money for Macmillan but don't have time to hold or attend a coffee morning, you can donate to the cause by visiting the website here
How did it all begin?
The first ever Coffee Morning happened back in 1990. It was a 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, the charity decided to do it all again the following year, only this time it went national.
Since then, Coffee Mornings have raised a staggering £165.5 million for Macmillan Cancer Support.
