First things first, let's talk about the Macmillan Coffee Morning. It's an annual event in the UK that serves as a fundraising platform for Macmillan Cancer Support, a non-profit organisation dedicated to offering practical, emotional, and financial assistance to individuals and families grappling with the challenges of cancer. Last year, the Placements held a Coffee Morning which inspired us to carry on the tradition!

This year at ProspectSoft, our Placements Marketing team composed of Issy and Khaula, took the initiative to organize this coffee morning for everyone in the office café area, all in the spirit of contributing to this noble cause. They had set up invitation cards on the front desk as well as posters put up in the office to give people an idea of where it would be happening, and to make sure they were present on the day, to enjoy the event. We received a Macmillan Coffee Morning kit that provided us with everything necessary to ensure this day would be truly memorable. With this kit, we covered the café with various shades of Macmillan green decorations, such as balloons, bunting, a tablecloth, stickers, and a donation collection box, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Each member of our placements team brought something special to the table with some of us taking quick trips to the shops to get ingredients to start baking in preparation for the event. We were all able to produce a large collection of baked goods from cupcakes to brownies, homemade Kinder Bueno cheesecake to a variety of cookies, there was a sweet treat for everyone. But let's not forget the star of the show, a classic and the best of all, a ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cake (my choice!).

Traditionally, there is a vast selection of coffees as well as baked goods and while the name itself might suggest coffee, here at ProspectSoft, we decided to take a different path as it’s the act of giving that takes centre stage and we chose to focus solely on the sweet stuff! The absence of coffee didn't deter us from our primary mission: raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. In fact, we made it incredibly easy for participants to contribute. We offered traditional cash donation options, and for those who preferred a more convenient approach, we provided mobile payment options through QR codes. Our aim was to ensure that anyone who wanted to support this cause could do so easily.

The day of the event was a great success and all the hard work definitely paid off! We witnessed an incredible turnout of people from various companies in the building, all coming together with a shared commitment to support this meaningful cause and raising over £250! The spirit of generosity was heartwarming to see how eager people were to donate and contribute to a worthy cause. If you managed to make it, donate, or even enjoy a sweet treat with us we all wanted to extend a special thank you!

If you’d like to host your own Coffee Morning, we’ve created a short guide to guide you through the key steps!

1. Sign Up: The official date for Macmillan’s Coffee Morning this year was the 29th of September. However, Macmillan encourages fundraising all year round. Make sure to order your pack online with enough time for it to arrive before your event.
2. Plan your event: Decide what everyone will contribute and what sort of day you want it to be. Despite what the name suggests, you can hold a Coffee Morning anytime! Make it casual or classy, sweet or savoury. Macmillan also provides a couple of games in their activity pack which can be a fun way to keep your guests engaged.
3. Spread the word: Put up the posters in your pack, email and post invites, and tell everyone you know about the big day! Social media is an especially useful tool for this – you can even add a donation link to your posts to drum up more cash.
4. On the day: Remember to set up nice and early and make sure you have everything you need. Put your donation box in a prominent place where people can see it and stick your QR codes on any visible surface to attract lots of donations! You can also set up seating to encourage open conversation and listen to other people’s experiences.
5. Following up: Be sure to give everyone involved a huge thank you for their contributions! Sending an email, card, or displaying a poster with the total funds raised is a great way to show the difference you were able to make.

As our event drew to a close, we all had a sense of fulfilment as we knew that after such a simple event and gesture, the funds we raised would go on to make a difference in the lives of people who need it. Overall, this was more than just making and eating cakes or drinking coffee, this was a morning for us to make a difference and give back. This is an event that is worth celebrating each year and one I'm sure we can all look forward to participating in for a long time to come!