Hi

The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is nearly upon us!

This month’s newsletter is packed with all of the amazing things people are doing around the country in preparation for the big day, with everyone from Miss Scotland to Coventry City players ramping things up.

So now over to you, our fabulous supporters!
A final few tips…

• Check our the tempting recipes on our website..
• Put your event on the map - let’s cover the country in coffee mugs!
• Share your photos, ideas and general progress with all of your fellow coffee morning hosts.
• Give your guests our mini-guide to Macmillan’s services to show your guests how their money will make a huge difference to people affected by cancer. The mini-booklet shows how Macmillan helps thousands of people every day. Order some to give to your guests by calling 0845 673 0724 or email coffeemorning@mktpoint.com

And most importantly – thanks to you all, and have a fantastic coffee morning.

This isn’t just coffee…

Remember that right up until Saturday 25 September, M&S will be donating 10% of the value of a selection of sandwiches and sweet treats at its M&S Cafes.

And to kick start your World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, pop into your local M&S Café on 24 September and enjoy your morning fix all the more - 50p will be donated for every coffee sold!

Mitch croons support for coffee morning

Mitch Winehouse, father of singer Amy, has given his backing to Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

Mitch will be donating the proceeds from current single, Please Be Kind, to Macmillan Cancer Support. Please Be Kind holds a lot of personal feeling for Mitch: 'The reason I recorded ‘Please Be Kind’ is it was my mother’s favorite song. She was cared for by Macmillan nurses and they do an amazing job and really helped my family. They help hundreds of patients and their families affected by cancer.'

Mitch will be making personal visits to regional Macmillan support centres during his up and coming UK tour. During the filming of the video to Please Be Kind, Mitch recorded a special message for those involved in Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

Football strips and stripping off

Support for the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning 2010 has been fantastic and all kinds of activities are happening around the country to encourage people to sign up and help raise £8million to help Macmillan continue to provide services for those affected by cancer.

In the last fortnight, Coventry City players and staff have donned aprons and smiles for us, and Miss Scotland, Nicola Mimnagh, has had a very glamorous bath of beans!

Check out the photos and then get involved – sign up here to hold a coffee morning or check our map and go to one in your local neighbourhood.

We have had lots of people help us with this year’s advertising campaign from celebrities such as Katherine Jenkins and Duncan Ballantyne on the radio to amazing supporters in our print ads that will appear in newspapers such as The Times and The Guardian.

It was great to have real supporters in our print ad campaign, as new Coffee Morning hosts will be able to identify with these people. The photos show what coffee mornings can be like - a garden party, in the kitchen with friends, or a relaxed affair in your living room. Marion, Judith and Katie, Sammeer, Tim, Simone – everyone was so patient on the day of the photo shoot – letting the photographers do their thing. All the people featured in the ads have received some help from Macmillan too, or their families have, so they could talk about their real experiences.

Marion Faulkner, Macmillan supporter, says: ‘I’m part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning because my husband was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and I wanted to give something back. There were so many information sheets, lots of literature and I actually used the telephone service on one occasion and was helped by somebody on the other end, which was brilliant.

'I invite all the girls form the gym, friends from work, neighbours, family, they all participate, they all join in and we all have fun. My coffee morning is busy! I baked, a few friends baked too and we sold everything - jam, and some plants I’d grown in the garden.'

Hear more of Marion's story (on YouTube).

What is your role at Macmillan?
I am Macmillan’s Survivorship Programme Lead. My team works to develop thinking and test ideas about how to improve services for people living with cancer after their treatment, and then to influence government and the NHS to adopt the new ways of working.

What is the survivorship programme and why is it so important?
The survivorship programme aims to improve cancer aftercare services for anyone living with or beyond their cancer. This is so important as there are currently two million people in the UK living with or after cancer and this figure is set to rise to four million by 2030. People living with or beyond cancer often have difficulty getting their lives back when hospital treatment ends. They may experience emotional problems, side effects such as severe fatigue, find it hard to get back to work, pay the bills or start a family. But while their needs don’t stop their care often does, leaving them feeling abandoned.

We need to change the way that the NHS works so that resources are focussed on those people that really need the help. The effects of cancer treatment can often materialise months or years later, and more needs to be done to highlight patient and professional awareness, so that people can get the help they need.

How will the money raised by coffee morning help?
It will help fund our influencing work with government, spreading the messages to professionals, and introducing different ways of helping people living with cancer get control of their lives back.

What kind of coffee morning would you hold?
A night at Wimbledon races so that my greyhound Roxy could really get involved!

Who would you invite to your dream coffee morning and why?
Lenny Henry to make us laugh, Arsene Wenger to coach us, and Spartacus to demonstrate change management!

Tell us something no one else knows about you…
My first job was pretty special - I was a banshee in the haunted house of a travelling fair. Not many people can say that!

Please send in your recipes to coffeenews@macmillan.org.uk

• 150g Silver Spoon Cakecraft milk or dark chocolate flavour cake coverings
• 130g Madeira cake (shop bought or homemade), made into crumbs
• A few drops Silver Spoon Cakecraft almond natural extract
  
• Grated and melted Silver Spoon Cakecraft milk or dark chocolate flavour cake covering
• Silver Spoon Cakecraft chocolate flavour strands
• Silver Spoon Cakecraft sugar stars Silver Spoon Cakecraft sprinkle decorations

1. Melt the chocolate flavour cake covering, either in the microwave or by placing in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Be careful not to over- cook this or crystals will begin to form.

2. Add the crumbs and flavourings to the melted cake covering and mix thoroughly. Leave to cool slightly.

3. Shape the mixture into small balls. Sprinkle the coverings of your choice onto saucers and roll the balls in the coverings.

4. If you want to drizzle with melted cake covering, melt as per the truffles. Place the uncovered truffles onto a wire rack and dip a teaspoon into the meted cake covering and drizzle over the truffles (this could also be done using a piping bag).

5. Chill for 30 minutes and store in an airtight container.

You can find more delicious recipes on our website.

This fantastic competition closes on the 6th September at midnight - this is your last chance to enter to win Ben at your event.

If you have registered to be part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning you will be able to enter our competition to win Ben Fogle for your Macmillan coffee morning event, so you can make an even bigger difference with every mug of coffee.

All you need to do is tell us in no more than 50 words why you’re raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and how Kenco and Ben Fogle can help you make a positive impact for your coffee morning.

Winners will be announced shortly after the closing date. Good luck!