North East Lincolnshire organisations take part in Macmillan Cancer Support's big coffee morning

A CHARITY coffee morning may seem a simple idea – but for Macmillan Cancer Support it means lives can be changed.

Organisations and patients were out in force across North East Lincolnshire yesterday as the World's Biggest Coffee Morning got underway.

The annual event is one which stirs up vital cash for the charity to carry out its vital work with those fighting cancer – and those who have beaten it.

At one event at Scartho Medical Centre, in Grimsby's Springfield Road, Macmillan nurses were on hand to offer people a slice of homemade cake.

However, the fundraisers were also keen to hand out another message – that a new cancer survivorship support team has been launched.

This new service – which is the first of its kind in the borough – is only currently available to patients at Scartho Medical Centre and is running as a two-year pilot scheme to help cancer patients after treatment.

The charity itself, which operates across the UK, also has huge running costs, that the event helps to support.

Around £180 can fund a Macmillan social worker for a day

Nearly £200 can help give five cancer patients a Macmillan grant, which can be used to cover extra costs, such as heating bills

Just over £1,000 can fund a Macmillan nurse for one week.

Hayley Jones, Macmillan complex case manager for the new team, said: "Alongside the coffee morning we were raising awareness of the new group.

"I have worked for Macmillan for the past five years and, before this group, I was involved with the palliative care side.

"It is vital that funds are continuously raised for the charity as without it, groups like this would never be set up to offer support.

"Without donations, none of this would be possible and cancer patients would have to find alternative ways to seek help and support.

"A coffee morning may seem simple to many people but it can prove to be life changing for others."

Joanna Mansfield wanted to get involved with the new team to help celebrate with patients who have beaten cancer.

The Macmillan primary care nurse said: "People associate Macmillan with end of life care but now this new group supports those who have come through it and survived.

"Money is constantly needed for the charity and a coffee morning is a great way to do that.

"We want to thank staff at Scartho Medical Centre and the patients, as a lot of them helped to bake the cakes that we sold.

"We just asked for a donation to be put into the bucket in order to have a coffee or a cake.

"Hopefully we have raised a good amount as there were always people at the stall."

Gaye Roark, a patient at Scartho Medical Centre, held a name card competition alongside the coffee morning for someone to win a homemade cake.

Although she has never needed the services of Macmillan herself, she believes that their work should be supported 100 per cent.

She said: "These nurses are so important in helping to reduce the fear of cancer.

"They give people the peace of mind that everything will be OK and that shoulder to lean on when people feel they have nowhere else to turn.

"You never know when you might need their support, so I would encourage everyone to support them."

Send in your photos

Did you host, or are you planning, a coffee morning for Macmillan? Take a photograph and send it to pictures@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk by 11am on Monday so it can be featured in the Grimsby Telegraph's full round up of events next week.