For over two decades, Macmillan Cancer Support have been helping millions across the UK, and the rest of the world, host coffee mornings in support of people living with cancer. It’s an amazing cause to raise money for – and the coffee mornings themselves can be a great way to catch up with friends and family you haven’t seen for a while. Read on below for tips on how to make your own morning a success, so you can enjoy a nice cuppa, a cake with friends and raise money for a good cause in the process.
Preparation is key
Making sure you’re fully organised can go a long way towards having a good time at your coffee morning. Why not sign up on the Macmillan website for a free coffee morning starter kit, where you’ll be given information, donation forms and handy tips on how to make your event enjoyable for all who attend. Making sure you’re prepared ahead of time can reduce stress and worry on the day, making it much more likely that you’ll enjoy yourself with your friends and some tasty treats.
Planning how many cakes you’re going to make, and letting people know in advance if you’d like them to bring extra snacks, gives everyone plenty of notice, so you can be sure you’re stocked up on the day. You can have some great fun baking the goodies yourself, or buy them if you don’t feel confident enough to bake; they’ll all be eaten on the day regardless.
Don’t forget, the food you eat doesn’t have to be sweet. You could choose to serve a mixture of savoury and sweet delights, or go for just savoury if that’s what your guests enjoy – you can find some great ideas for savoury treats in our Sofology Sofa Snacks article.
Organising the space
Having a lot of people round to enjoy your coffee morning can be fun, but it also poses some problems. For one, will everyone fit? Sorting out your living space beforehand means you don’t have to run around trying to find seats or space for food and drinks last minute before your guests arrive. When it comes to your food and drinks, plenty of strong, stable surfaces are ideal, so spillages and dropped cakes are kept to a minimum. When it comes to hot tea, it’s always better to be on the safe side.
Ensuring you have plenty of seating space available is also key. If you know your coffee morning is going to have a lot of people attending you could spread the event across two rooms rather than using just your living or dining room. If it’s a more intimate affair then this might not be an issue, but bear in mind that no one likes having to stand up when everyone else is sat down.
A cosy sofa can make a difference
Having a comfy sofa and chairs available for your guests can go a long way towards creating a relaxing atmosphere at your coffee morning. A leather sofa, like the Maddox or the Levato, could be great for hosting your coffee morning, because they’re spacious sofas that offer plenty of room. What’s more, they’re easy to maintain if crumbs or some tea is spilt.
It may not be possible to fit everyone on the sofa, so it might be worth grabbing some emergency chairs from other rooms in the house to make sure everyone is accommodated.
Cancer Support
By hosting a coffee morning, you could raise enough money for charities like Macmillan so they can provide personnel and services for cancer patients, like paying for nurses to aid cancer patients and their families. The money you raise could also go towards helping charities run information and support centres, helping people with cancer get the best advice and support through difficult times.
We hope you enjoy hosting your own coffee morning this month; we’re sure you’ll have a great time. Don’t forget, it’s well worth exploring the Macmillan website and downloading plenty of free resources to make your day that bit more special. From invites and thank you posters, to bunting and party games, Macmillan have gone the extra mile once again to ensure your coffee morning will be amazing.
