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Join us to raise a cup…and vital funds at a Macmillan Coffee Morning this autumn!

Monday, 28 August 2023

Cancer impacts everyone – as a patient or their family member, partner, friend or colleague. Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the UK’s largest charities dedicated to supporting everyone with cancer along their journey. But they need to continuously raise funds to deliver this vital support.

At British Equestrian, we heard about an amazing effort by the team at Whitegate Farm Livery & Training Centre in Flintshire who organised a successful event in 2022 for Macmillan and raised a fantastic £1,200. And that got us thinking…what if the Great British Equestrian Community joined together to support Macmillan? 

So, this year British Equestrian (BEF), in conjunction with Horse & Hound, have an ambition to engage the entire equestrian community to take part in a Macmillan Coffee Morning event in autumn.

Macmillan’s ambition is to join thousands of people across the UK to raise money by participating in a Macmillan Coffee Morning. The money you raise at your coffee morning will help many living with cancer to live life as fully as they can.

Everyone is invited to take part – we’re appealing for all equestrian organisations of all descriptions to join us in raising funds for such a vital cause. This includes equestrian centres, professional yards, local equestrian groups, livery yards, tack shops, businesses, organisations and individuals. BEF staff will be hosting our own Macmillan coffee morning in October.

What’s involved? Host a Macmillan coffee morning by serving tea, coffee and the all-important cakes and baked goods at your location and ask for donations in return. You could expand your ambitions by hosting a fun fundraising event for everyone: raffles, tea with a pony, mounted and/or unmounted games, site tours, horse related craft activities, masterclass, display, dog shows or combining the coffee morning with a competition or event that you are already hosting. The opportunities are truly endless and we challenge you to be as creative as you can! The team at Whitegate Farm put a musical quadrille together!

To get started, sign up on the Macmillan website to receive your free fundraising kit. To help us and Macmillan to track overall funds raised by the equestrian community, we’re also asking you to provide your name (name used to sign up for the coffee morning) and postcode to BEF via this online form.

When is it? The official day for the event is Friday 29 September 2023, but you can choose any date that is convenient for you and your organisation. We’re hosting ours on 10 October alongside a staff development day.

How your Coffee Morning donation could help Macmillan

Macmillan understands how cancer can affect people’s whole lives – health, money, family, job; everything. And, after more than 100 years of caring, they understand that the most important thing is to treat people as individuals. From the moment of diagnosis and whenever they’re most needed, they’re there to help people find their best way through.

For information, support or just someone to talk to, call them on 0808 808 00 00 (seven days a week, 8am-8pm).

In 2022, Macmillan raised over £12 million through their coffee mornings and they hope to top that this year.

£71 could help run an Online Community forum for over 3 hours. Typically, that would give 198 people affected by cancer both emotional and practical support by providing a safe environment to share their experiences and emotions.

£100 could pay for a person affected by cancer to attend a health and wellbeing event, providing them with skills to improve the management of these areas in their lives.

£350 could pay for a Macmillan grant that helps a family affected by cancer take a holiday and enjoy precious time together. This can relieve financial pressure on a family that has been affected by cancer.

£646 could pay for a Macmillan Support Worker for a week, helping patients, family members and carers manage the social and practical problems of living with cancer.

£1202 could pay for a Macmillan nurse for a week, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.

Sarah Adwick, Relationship Fundraising Manager for Macmillan, said: “Join us in hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning and make a real difference. Every cup, every slice and every donation we make, no matter how small, supports their incredible work. Doing whatever it takes to help people living with cancer live life as fully as they can.”

So, will you join us and the rest of our amazing equestrian community to support Macmillan by hosting your own coffee morning?

To sign up for the coffee morning and receive your free fundraising kit: click here.

To let us know you’ve signed up: click here.