Coffee morning trophy winners sought
A giant cup will be presented to the company that raised the most funds for the World's Biggest Coffee Morning
A HUGE glittering trophy is waiting to be presented the Berkshire company which raised the most money for Macmillan Cancer Support at their World's Biggest Coffee Morning (WBCM).
As the charity's biggest fundraiser, it has urged any Berkshire companies that raised funds at an event last Friday (September 30) – including the dozens in West Berkshire which baked and sold cakes and cuppas - to get in touch, as they may be in the running for a new award: The World's Biggest Coffee Morning Berkshire Challenge Cup (pictured).
"The huge cup will be engraved with the company name and it will be yours to proudly keep and display for a year," said the charity's fundraising manager, Jan Treacher-Evans.
In West Berkshire businesses, schools, pubs and local organisations all got involved.
In Thatcham, the mayor Lee Dillon helped promote a Fairtrade coffee and tea and home-made cake sale in the sunshine at Broadway Green, raising £173.
Elsewhere, many school pupils were involved, with a mufti (casual clothes) day at Beenham Primary School involving pupils acting as waiters and waitresses to sell cakes and raising £437 in the process.
Pupils at John Rankin Junior School, Newbury, raised £650 while tots at Victoria Park nursery school raised £126 from a teddy bear's picnic and selling iced biscuits.
West Berkshire Indoor Bowls Club, Greenham Road, raised £1,730 Greenacre Leisure in Greenham raised £127.
Businesses involved included Barclay's Bank, in Newbury Market Place, where staff tempted customers with tasty treats and a cuppa; they raised £568 which will be match-funded by Barclays.
Blue Arrow, a Northbrook Street recruitment agency in Newbury, raised £278 and Gowrings Ford of Pinchington Lane, Newbury, raised £1,034.
Pub regulars also put down their pints to dig in pockets to boost funds.
At The Lamb, Enborne Road, Newbury, coffees, cheesecake and a book sale raised more than £200.
Reading West MP Alok Sharma (Con) joined residents of Pegasus Court , Tilehurst, for a cuppa and the event raised almost £800, while staff at the Newbury Weekly News offices in Faraday Road, Newbury, baked cakes to raise £53.
Others who organised fundraising events for the WBCM included: Ann Broad, of Ramptons Meadow, Tadley, who raise £200; Thatcham Garden Centre, Bath Road; Donnington Hospital Trust Almhouses, which raised £190 at a coffee morning and quiz held the night before at the Three Horse Shoes pub, Donnington, Newbury.
The Runner Bean Coffee Company, Newbury, raised £230 after donating a day's takings of hot drinks at their mobile coffee unit; 2nd Newbury Guides raised £125 from a September 30 coffee evening at Shaw-Cum-Donnington Village Hall, and Bon Marche ladies fashions, in the Kennet Shopping centre raised £170 from its cake sales, raffle and tombola.
Any Berkshire-based companies who have yet to inform the charity of the total raised at their WBCM event are urged to contact the fundraising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, Jan Treacher-Evans, on (01264)343811, on 07834 191254, or by emailing JTreacher-Evans@macmillan.org.uk
To view pictures from the local WBCM events, click onto our online picture gallery.