Brewing up for charity (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Brewing up for charity

SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: The air was filled with the smell of coffee as people across the town took part in the World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

THOUSANDS of people across Swindon have been getting stuck into a coffee-fuelled fundraising bonanza for the Swindon Cancer Appeal.

Dozens of businesses and organisations across the Swindon area have been taking part in the World's Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Yesterday's event is expected to raise thousands for the Adver-backed Swindon Cancer Appeal.

Staff at the headquarters of the Nationwide Building Society raised more than £2,000 in just a few hours with a coffee and cake sale.

Spokesman Steve Cowdry said: "We have had a fantastic response for this very worthwhile cause from all the staff here at Nationwide House, people have been queuing outside for their coffee and cakes."

Fellow Macmillan supporters RWE npower based in Windmill Hill Business Park were able to enjoy a bit of live music from their company band The Electric Blues to go with their coffee and cakes.

Alyson Stevens, npower's community involvement officer, said: "npower employees are very passionate about raising money for Macmillan. We hope that the funds raised through Coffee Morning 2005 will help us meet our target of becoming a £1 million supporter by the end of the year."

More than 800 staff at Lucent Technologies in Swindon also devoted a few hours to helping the Swindon Cancer Appeal, taking part in their first World's Biggest Coffee Morning and raising hundreds of pounds in the process.

Bronwen Taylor, usability engineer and organiser at Lucent, said: "I have never organised something on this scale at Lucent before but it has gone extremely well.

"All the staff at all the sites have really taken to the idea and they have been bringing in videos and DVDs for a bring and buy sale as well, to build up the funds."

But it's not just big businesses getting stuck into the fun, many smaller firms have also been taking part.

Crumps the Butchers in Wootton Bassett has been one of the most stalwart fundraisers for the Swindon Cancer Appeal and raised more than £500 with its own coffee morning.

Keith Crump, who used to run the butchers said: "It's been a pretty good day, the weather hasn't been ideal but we still had plenty of people coming along to raise money for Macmillan.

"It's very touching for me to see so many people being so generous and see how much people care for the Cancer Appeal, it's a strong charity and they do great work."

Meanwhile, staff and owners at the Priory Manor a retirement home complex in North Swindon raised more than £50.

Ben Murray, from Priory Manor said: "We have all been very proud to help Macmillan, and help the owners put together the Macmillan Coffee Morning event, it's a worthwhile cause and we plan to continue supporting it."

The Swindon Advertiser's very own coffee morning proved to be a big success raising £209.

Sheryl Crouch, marketing manager at the Adver, said: "We are very pleased with the success of our first-ever Macmillan Coffee Morning, and we are delighted with the determination of our cake-makers and cake-eaters to raise money for our chosen cause."

Graziella Campisano, Swindon Cancer Appeal manager said she was excited about the prospects from this year's event.

"Last year there were 360 coffee morning events across Wiltshire raising £50,000 and this year there have been around 500 events so we are looking forward to see how much we have raised," said Graziella.

"It's been a very busy few days, and it's been fantastic to see that so many people have pushed themselves for the Swindon Cancer Appeal, nothing has been too much trouble."

The appeal total now stands at nearly £770,000, with the aim of raising £1m.

The appeal aims to provide a training post for a Macmillan specialist breast care cancer nurse and a training post for another nurse specialising in gastrointestinal cancers, as well as a Macmillan clinical psychologist who will specialise in cancer and palliative care.

Cash will also go to patient grants to help those whose income has suffered as a result of cancer.

For more information about the Swindon Cancer Appeal or to get involved call the appeal office on 01793 432252 or 01793 432253.

Other World's Biggest Coffee Morning events in the Swindon area: Thompsons Travel Agent, Orbital Retail Park; McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village, Osprey Education Room, Osprey Unit, Great Western Hospital; Lok n'Store, Rushey Platt; Appliance World, Stratton

Cotswold Water Park Society, South Cerney; Lydiard Millicent Public Hall; Polish Community Centre, Whitbourne Avenue; Swindon Bowls, Marsh Farm Lane; Hillman Partnership, Victoria Road

Intel Corporation, Old Town; Laurel Court Residential Home, Park Lane