- Bake-offs, raffles, sweets and treats for National Grid teams
- Bid to beat last year’s £4,000 charity total.
It’s kettles on and ovens at the ready for National Grid staff in Hinckley and Leicester as they whip up a record-breaking, five-day feast of fundraising in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
National Grid is once again taking part in Macmillan’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ on Friday (25 September) – but instead of doing just the one day it’s going for five.
As the charity marks 25 years of the landmark annual fundraiser, National Grid’s staff in Leicestershire are going all-out to beat their £4,000 charity total raised last year.
Fundraising kicked off yesterday (Monday 21 September). There will be events in all departments at National Grid’s Hinckley site and Leicester contact centre – including bakes-offs, raffles, sweets and savoury treats, home-made cakes and, of course, lots of coffee and tea. The team can also dress down and wear something green.
Macmillan Cancer Support is the chosen charity for National Grid; its generous employees have tirelessly championed the fundraiser for nearly two years.
Tanya Hutchinson said: “Macmillan is a charity close to our hearts as it was chosen by our employees. Sadly, many are touched by cancer or know someone dear whose life has been affected. Whenever we run our coffee mornings you can see the enjoyment it brings, as well as knowing we are doing something positive to help others.”
There are currently 2.5 million people living with cancer and by 2020 almost one in two people will get cancer at some point in their lives.
The first Macmillan Coffee Morning was dreamed up by Joan Evett, who worked for Cancer Relief, and held in her local church. Since then it has become one of the UK’s biggest charity events. Last year it raised a record breaking £25 million.
This year it’s estimated that 220,000 people in the UK will hold a coffee morning – getting through six million cups of coffee and 12 million slices of cake.
National Grid already has a strong partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. The company has raised more than £400,000 for Macmillan over the last 18 months and intends to meet its target to raise £500,000 for the charity in two years.
The money will be used to provide 2,500 ‘warmth without worry’ emergency fuel grants to people who have cancer.
Macmillan improves the lives of people affected by cancer by providing practical, medical and financial support.