Frequently Asked Questions

The official date for Coffee Morning is Friday 25 September. However, you can host one whenever you like. Many people have their Coffee Mornings before or after the official date.

1. Decide when and where you want to hold your Coffee Morning. Coffee Morning 2026 is Friday 25 September. However, you can have a Coffee Morning how you like and whenever you like. Many people host before or after the official date.
2. Sign up to host a Coffee Morning. Fill in our Coffee Morning registration form to let us know you're having one.
3. Receive your welcome email. This will have a link to your JustGiving fundraising page. You should receive this email right after signing up. Please check your spam or junk email folder.
4. Get your fundraising kit. You'll receive this in the post. It can take up to 3 weeks after signing up for it to arrive. In the meantime, you can download free Coffee Morning resources including posters, invites, guides and more to help you prepare for the event.
5. Plan your Coffee Morning. We'll send you emails full of tips to help you plan and promote your event. You can also check our How to host page and Coffee Morning blogs for advice.
6. Have your Coffee Morning and make a difference. Enjoy your Coffee Morning and connect wit those who matter to you. Enjoy great food and drinks, and help raise funds to support people living with cancer.
7. Pay in your Coffee Morning donations. Donations made on your JustGiving fundraising page will be sent to us automatically. View our Paying in page for information on other ways to pay in.

Find out how to host a Coffee Morning:

• at work
• at school
• at home
• in your community.

After you sign up, you should receive your welcome email instantly. Please check your spam or junk email folder.

If you have not received your welcome email 3 days or more after signing up, please contact the Coffee Morning team by:

• Chat: click the 'chat with us' button (desktop) or speech bubble icon (mobile) on this webpage.
• Email: coffee@macmillan.org.uk
• Phone: 0330 102 7810

You can change your Coffee Morning date anytime you like. You do not need to let us know if the date has changed for your event.

However, we are unable to change the timing of the emails you receive from us. You will still receive emails from us in sequence from your original Coffee Morning date.

To change the date of your Coffee Morning on JustGiving, watch our handy tutorials on updating your fundraising page.

If you have added your event to our Coffee Morning map and need to change the date, email coffee@macmillan.org.uk to let us know.

Yes! If you have added your Coffee Morning event to our Coffee Morning map and need to change the event details, we can do this for you.

Email coffee@macmillan.org.uk with a link to your event page and tell us what you would like to change.

There are many ways to invite people to your Coffee Morning. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Put up posters and send out invitations. We’ve provided some in your fundraising kit, but you can download more from our Coffee Morning resources page.
• Send out a message in your group chat. Don’t forget to include your event details and a link to your fundraising page. You could even set up a WhatsApp or Facebook group for your Coffee Morning.
• Set up a Facebook invite. This is a great way to get the word out about your Coffee Morning on social media.
• Send an email. If you’re hosting at work, don’t forget to send an email to your colleagues, customers and/or clients about your Coffee Morning.
• Advertise your Coffee Morning in newsletters. If you’re hosting at school or work, don’t forget to share your Coffee Morning in your newsletter. You may also want to mention it in any important meetings such as the next parent teacher meeting.

Don’t forget to share your fundraising page at the same time – it’s a great way for people to donate if they can’t come along on the day.

If your Coffee Morning is a public event, fill in our form and we’ll share the details of the event on our Coffee Morning map.

You can download free Coffee Morning posters and invitations from our Coffee Morning resources page. We also have a range of other useful resources such as fundraising games, DIY bunting, cake decorations and more.

You can also head over to your JustGiving fundraising page to download posters and invites with your unique QR code on them.

Of course! Please note we can’t send postal kits overseas. However, you can download our overseas Coffee Morning fundraising kit and fundraising resources to help with your planning and fundraising.

If you wish to cancel your Coffee Morning registration, please send an email to coffee@macmillan.org.uk explaining that you would like to cancel, including the address that you registered with.

If you can’t host a Coffee Morning yourself this year, you can make a donation to Coffee Morning on our website or attend one in your local area instead. You can search for public Coffee Mornings near you or look out for posters and social media group posts in your local area.

Members of the public are not subject to the food standard regulations or the UK Food Amendment, also known as Natasha’s Law (even if products were to be wrapped in cling film).

Where a school, company or organisation is hosting a Coffee Morning and inviting the public to donate goods, they would not be subject to this regulation.

If a school, company or organisation is a registered food business and supplies their own products they would be subject to this regulation (as for any products they produce).

It is considered best practice to list allergens where possible but is not a legal requirement for the public. You can use our handy Cake Labels to label any allergens on food you serve at your Coffee Morning.

For more information, visit the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website.

The great thing about Coffee Mornings is there is no rule to what you can serve at yours.

Your Coffee Morning can be traditional tea and coffee with baked treats, an outdoor BBQ during nice weather, or anything in between. The important part is bringing people together for good food, good times and to make a difference.

Need some inspiration? Check out our Coffee Morning recipes. They include recipes for cakes, sweet treats, vegan and free-free recipes and savoury bites.

We also have 2 blogs to help inspire what drinks you could serve:

• International Coffee Day features a selection of coffees from around the world
• Types of Coffee you could serve features 8 different coffee recipes.

When you sign up to host a Coffee Morning, you’ll receive a link to your personal JustGiving fundraising page in your welcome email. The email should arrive right after you sign up. Please make sure to check your spam or junk email folder.

If you have not received your welcome email 3 days or more after signing up or can't find the link to your JustGiving page, please contact our Coffee Morning team by:

• email coffee@macmillan.org.uk
• call 0330 102 7810
• chat. Click the 'chat with us' button (desktop) or speech bubble icon (mobile) on this page to speak to us.

Your JustGiving fundraising page link will also be in every email you receive from the Coffee Morning team following your welcome email.

After you sign up to host a Coffee Morning, you’ll receive a welcome email with a link to your JustGiving fundraising page. It will also appear at the top and bottom of every email you receive from the Coffee Morning team after signing up.

You can share your fundraising page link with guests to donate to your Coffee Morning. You can also use the QR stickers in your pack on the day of your event so that guests can donate directly to your JustGiving fundraising page.

You don't have to, but if you would like to personalise your page, click on the link in the emails from the Coffee Morning team. When you personalise your page, you can:

• Adding a photo
• Setting up a fundraising target
• Updating your bio with more details about your event.

Did you know that pages that have been personalised raise 50% more on average?

Further guidance:

• View our guide on how to use your Coffee Morning fundraising page
• Watch the video tutorials on how to personalise and edit your page. They also have guidance if you have trouble logging into your account.

You will receive a link to your JustGiving fundraising page at the top and bottom of each email from the Coffee Morning team. It will also feature in your fundraising kit letter and the QR code sticker sheet.

If you have personalised your Coffee Morning JustGiving fundraising page, you can login to to your JustGiving account. Then select your profile and view all your fundraising pages under ‘Fundraising’.

If you still can’t find the link to your JustGiving fundraising page, please get in touch by email at coffee@macmillan.org.uk.

There are many ways to share your JustGiving fundraising page such as:

• Using the QR code stickers in your fundraising kit. Add them to any posters or invites for your Coffee Morning. You can also download a QR Code from your JustGiving page that you can print out and share.
• Sharing it on social media. Use the social media icons underneath the QR code on your JustGiving fundraising page.
• Sharing the link to your page far and wide. For example, you could share it in your family or work group chat.

Donations received through your JustGiving fundraising page are automatically sent to us. PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay may be subject to charges.

If you need help with your fundraising page, view our guide or watch our tutorials.

QR stands for Quick Response. To make donating as easy and as accessible as possible, we have included QR code stickers in your fundraising kit.

A QR code is like a bar code. When the QR code is scanned using your mobile phone’s camera, it provides a link. The link is for your JustGiving fundraising page.

Details about how to use a QR code can be found in our Coffee Morning fundraising page guide.

As a charity, we look to save costs wherever possible. Taking a little longer to send out Coffee Morning kits to our amazing hosts really helps us save money. To save on delivery costs, we often send out the fundraising kits in one big shipment instead of individually.

After signing up to host a Coffee Morning, you should receive your fundraising kit in 2 to 3 weeks.

If your event is in the next 2 weeks, you can download our digital Coffee Morning fundraising kit.

We’re sorry if it takes longer than you expected for your Coffee Morning fundraising kit to arrive. However, in the meantime, you can download our free Coffee Morning resources. They include posters, invites, fundraising games, decorations and more!

We’re sorry you haven’t received your fundraising kit yet. The kit can take up to 3 weeks to arrive after you have signed up.

In the meantime, you can download free Coffee Morning resources such as posters, invites, decorations, fundraising games and more. You can also download posters on JustGiving to use before your fundraising kit arrive.

If your kit hasn’t arrived 3 weeks after you have signed up, please email coffee@macmillan.org.uk or call 0330 102 7810.

We are sorry your Coffee Morning fundraising kit hasn’t arrived in time for your Coffee Morning. It can take up to 3 weeks after signing up for it to arrive.

What you can do:

• use our digital fundraising kit
• download our free Coffee Morning resources. They include posters, invites, fundraising games and more
• use our Gift Aid form to make your fundraising go even further
• download the QR code, posters and invites from your JustGiving fundraising page. You can share this before, during and after your event so people can donate to your page.

We’re sorry, but we're unable to automatically send Coffee Morning fundraising kits to Facebook supporters. This is due to Facebook’s data protection regulations.

To receive your kit, please sign up for Coffee Morning here.

When you sign up to host a Coffee Morning, you can choose between a full fundraising kit or the lite fundraising kit.

The full Coffee Morning fundraising kit includes:

• A welcome letter and 3 paying-in slips
• A freepost return envelope
• Posters, a tablecloth, balloons and bunting
• Food label cards and cake flags
• Leaflet from our sponsor
• A sticker sheet with your unique fundraising page QR codes
• Fundraising games
• Large moneybox.

You may want this kit if it’s your first time hosting a Coffee Morning.

The lite Coffee Morning fundraising kit includes:

• A welcome letter and 2 paying-in slips
• A freepost return envelope
• Poster
• Food label cards
• Leaflet from our sponsor
• A sticker sheet with your unique fundraising page QR codes
• Fundraising games
• A moneybox.

You may want this kit if you’ve hosted before and have decorations stashed away from your previous Coffee Morning. It helps the environment if you can reuse materials from previous Coffee Mornings.

If you need further resources for your event, check out our Coffee Morning resources. They’re free to download and include posters, invites, fundraising games, decorations and more.

We have a lot of free Coffee Morning resources you can download such as posters, invites, fundraising games, decorations and more. You can also download posters, invites and your QR code from your JustGiving Coffee Morning fundraising page.

There’s also a great range of Coffee Morning products you can purchase from the Macmillan online shop.

Lastly, you can order some extra items such as paying-in (Bank Giro slip), QR stickers, or table covers online.

We’ve worked really hard to make sure our kit is as environmentally friendly as possible.

We’re proud to say that all the items in the fundraising kit are printed on sustainable materials. Items (including our tablecloth) are made from 100% recycled materials and can be widely recycled depending on your local authority services. The balloons are 100% biodegradable too.

We also offer people who sign up to host a Coffee Morning to pick between a full Coffee Morning fundraising kit or our lite kit. The lite kit has less paper and no plastic.

We’ve got everything you need to make your Coffee Morning look the part including:

• Kitchenware such as plates, paper cups, napkins, cake stand and mugs
• Decorations including bunting, paper fan decorations, balloons, and tablecloths
• Clothing such as aprons, Macmillan T-shirts and pin badges.

You can also download free resources such as posters, invites, fundraising games and more from our Coffee Morning resources page.

Once you sign up, we’ll send you a free Coffee Morning fundraising kit in the post. It’s packed full of ideas to help make your event as successful as possible. Such as:

• Gift Aid form so you can raise even more money
• Fundraising games to help entertain your event guests and raise additional funds
• QR code stickers that people can scan and donate directly to your JustGiving fundraising page

Here are some ideas to help you raise money at your Coffee Morning:

• Hold a raffle or sweepstake. You could ask friends, family or local businesses to donate prizes for the raffle. Then charge people on the day to enter the raffle or sweepstake for a chance to win any of the great prizes you’ve gathered.
• Get your donations matched. If you’re hosting at work, you could ask them to match the money you raise. Use our handy Matched Giving form.
• Host a tournament. Charge teams to take part in a sports tournament such as five-a-side football, bowls tournament or whatever sport you like.

A raffle is a type of game of chance where people buy tickets for a chance of winning a prize.

There are strict legal requirements about the organisation of raffles, lotteries and prize draws. More information about these rules can be found on the Gambling Commission website.

If you are planning a raffle or other game of chance such as a tombola or duck race at an event, and tickets will only be sold at that event, then you do not require a license for this.

However, if you wish to sell tickets in advance, or to people not attending the event, you need a license. It is not possible for supporters to use Macmillan’s raffle license, and only a non-commercial organisation can apply for a lottery license. This will need to be done by your local authority if you qualify.

We do not recommend the sale of items at your Coffee Morning, this is because we cannot claim Gift Aid on this type of fundraising.

Our recommendation is to ask for a suggested donation as we can claim Gift Aid on this which will increase the donation by 25%.

If you do sell any items at your Coffee Morning, please ensure the Gift Aid box isn't ticked when payment is made.

Matched funding is where a company offers to give a certain amount of money towards your fundraising efforts. This can either ‘match’ the amount you raise or be a fixed amount agreed up front.

There are several benefits for companies which do matched giving. This includes achieving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) targets and potentially reducing the amount of corporate tax they pay.

Gift Aid is a UK government scheme that enables charities to reclaim income and/or Capital Gains Tax that supporters have already paid.

To allow us to claim this back, you must be a UK taxpayer and have paid sufficient income and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount of all Gift Aid donations made for that tax year.

Donors who have not been charged sufficient tax to cover the Income Tax deducted from their Gift Aid donations are responsible for paying any difference.

Gift Aid can increase your guests’ donations by 25p for every £1 without costing them another penny!

Macmillan canreclaim tax on voluntary donations made by your guests once they have:

• made an individual donation
• filled in all the columns on your Gift Aid form
• ticked the Gift Aid box.

Please note, we can’t make a claim if any of these steps have been missed.

Only personal donations are eligible for Gift Aid. If you’re paying in a collection, made a purchase, or had a chance to win a prize, this amount is not eligible for Gift Aid.

Please note that Gift Aid does not apply to non-UK taxpayers, Isle of Man and Channel Island residents.

The donations you have received on your JustGiving fundraising page will automatically be sent to us – so there is nothing you need to do.

Other ways you can pay in:

• Online by credit or debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
• Over the phone 0330 102 7890 with a credit or debit card.
• At a Post Office branch or a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest or Ulster Bank. Please bring your money and unique paying-in (Bank Giro Credit) slips with you. You will need one paying-in slips or cash and one paying-in slip for cheques.
• By bank transfer. Please email coffee@macmillan.org.uk to arrange a BACS payment.

If you have lost or misplaced your paying-in slip, you can order one online.

In your Coffee Morning fundraising kit, we will give you paying-in slips. These are also called Bank Giro Credit (BGC) paying-in slip or NatWest pre-printed paying-in slip.

You need to use a paying-in slip to pay in cash donations or cheques at a Post Office branch or at a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest or Ulster Bank.

You need 1 paying-in slip for cash and 1 paying-in slip for cheques – do not put cash and cheques in the same paying-in slip.

The ones in your fundraising kit are unique and will help us link your donations to your fundraising total.

If you have lost or misplaced your paying-in slip, you can order a replacement.

Your unique paying-in slip is included in your Coffee Morning fundraising kit. They are attached to the welcome letter. If you are unable to find yours, you can order a replacement.

We kindly ask our supporters to pay in cash or cheques from their Coffee Morning into a branch of:

• Royal Bank of Scotland
• NatWest or
• Ulster Bank.

You will need to bring your unique paying-in slips with you: one for cash and one for cheques.

Please note: Other banks may charge a processing fee and using them means that we may not be able to trace the payment to your Coffee Morning total.

Paying in cash or cheques over the counter

Both cash and cheques can be paid over the counter using a paying-in slip. Please complete a paying-in slip for both cash and cheque amounts.

Coins should be placed in bags, according to denomination, and handed to the cashier with both the cheques(s) and paying-in slip.

Cash counting machines

At NatWest, you may be able to use the coin cash counting machines. You must use a paying-in slip. Only a limited number of branches have this facility.

The coin machines take high volumes of coins without having to be sorted into denominations. Place your coins into the coin counting machine. You will receive a printout showing the total value. Take this to the bank counter with a pre-printed paying-in slip, so the bank can allocate the funds to your Coffee Morning total.

You can also pay in at any Post Office branch.

To pay in cash and cheques at the Post Office, you must use a paying-in slip from your Coffee Morning fundraising kit.

You will need 1 paying-in slip for cash and 1 paying-in slip for cheques.

The barcode on the paying-in slip will ensure that we have the best chance of the funds being attributed back to the correct bank account.

If you need a new paying-in slip, please order one online. If your paying-in slip is missing a barcode, please complete our supporter enquiry form.

Paying in cash

For coin denominations below £1, only full coin bags will be accepted.

£1 and £2 coins will be accepted in partial bags, but only if the denominations are separate. Only £250 worth of coins will be accepted per transaction. Please complete the paying-in slip according to the cash denominations.

Some branches may take partial bags but only if this has been agreed with them in advance.

Paying in cheques

The Post Office will provide you with a deposit envelope for your pre-printed and completed paying-in slip (you may need to ask for this) and accompanying cheques. The sort code should be the sort code as written on the slip and the account number should always be 00000000 if the bank account number is blank. The Post Office may challenge this however this is the correct way to complete. You must include the paying-in slip in the deposit envelope, as without this we will not know who has paid the funds in. If the Post Office try to give you the back the paying-in slip, please explain that this must be with the deposit envelope.

Please use the freepost envelope in your fundraising kit to send us your cheques and Gift Aid form.

Cheques should be made payable to Macmillan Cancer Support. Please include your name and address in your freepost envelope so we can make sure the money goes to your Coffee Morning total.

Please do not send cash in your freepost envelope.

If you do not have your freepost envelope, please send your cheques and Gift Aid forms to:

Freepost RTLS-JTZR-RYAZ
Macmillan Coffee Morning
PO BOX 4240
Bracknell
RG42

If you are abroad but have a bank account registered in the UK, you can still make a payment online.

If you do not have a bank card registered with the UK, it is still possible to pay in the money you raised or make a personal donation.

You can:

• Make a PayPal payment online
• Donate on your JustGiving fundraising page
• Call +44 330 102 7890 to speak to someone on our payment line.
• Email coffee@macmillan.org.uk to arrange a BACS payment.

After your Coffee Morning you will receive:

• A confirmation email when we receive your donations. If you pay your donations in different amounts or methods (such as at the bank, Post Office, by bank transfer, etc.) then you will receive a confirmation email after each transaction. Please check your spam or junk email folder for these emails.
• Thank you letter and certificate. We send out our first round of thank you letters and certificates in November. You will receive this by post in the first or second week of the month. We may send you further thank you letters and certificates as your Coffee Morning total is updated. It may take some time for your total to be updated because different payment methods may take longer to be registered on our system.

Facebook and Text2 Donate donations unfortunately are not included in your totals.

To make sure your fundraising total is as accurate as possible, we encourage you to pay in all your fundraising in one go.

Please contact us if you would like a bespoke thank you with these amounts included. Email coffee@macmillan.org.uk or phone 0330 102 7810.

We are sorry that your Coffee Morning total on your thank you letter and/or certificate isn’t correct.

Your total may be wrong because it has not been updated. It can take some time for it to be updated if we receive donations by different payment methods or in different transactions.

For example, if you pay in cash or cheques at the Post Office with your paying-in slips it can often take:

• 10 working days for cash payment
• 14 working days for cheques

to be processed in our system.

You may receive more than one thank you letter and certificate as your total is updated.

To make sure your fundraising total is accurate as possible we suggest that you pay all your fundraising in one go.

Each time you pay in the money you raised at your Coffee Morning, we will send you an email confirmation. You may receive more than one thank you letter and certificate if you have paid in your money by different methods and/or transactions. This is because it can take some time for the funds to be registered in our system.

To make your Coffee Morning total is as accurate as possible, we encourage you to pay in all your fundraising in one go.

It’s great you want to support Coffee Morning and attend a guest.

Here are some ways you can find a Coffee Morning to attend:

• Use our Coffee Morning map to search for your nearest event
• Look out for posters in your local area such as on your local community hall or supermarket’s notice board
• Search on social media – some hosts may have set up a Facebook event
• Keep an eye out to any newsletters you subscribe to.

It may be helpful to bring different payment options with you such as cash to the Coffee Mornings you attend. If you prefer to donate by cash, you can pop your donation into the Coffee Morning money (donation) box.

If you can’t find an event, why not host your own? It’s a great way to get people together and we’ll send you everything you need in our free Coffee Morning fundraising kit.

This depends on the Coffee Morning you are attending. If you know the host, you can ask them how you can help. They may ask you to bring food and drinks, or they may want help setting up or cleaning up after their Coffee Morning.

If you are attending a Coffee Morning where you don’t know the organiser, they may still ask for you to bring something. They will often put the ask on their posters, invites, social media posts or however they’ve spread the word about their Coffee Morning.

What matters most is having fun, enjoying good food and drinks, and showing your support.

Macmillan Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s biggest annual fundraiser.

Since 1990, Coffee Morning has brought together millions of people from across the UK to raise money for a good cause.

The concept is simple. Bring people who matter to you together. Enjoy delicious food and drinks. Raise money to help support people living with cancer.

This year’s Coffee Morning date is Friday 25 September. However, you can host a Coffee Morning whenever and however you like.

Whatever you chose to do, you will make a difference in the lives of people living with cancer.

Every Coffee Morning is different. Some are small gatherings with friends and family. Others are catch ups at work with colleagues, clients and suppliers.

They all have one thing in common – they make a difference in the lives of people living with cancer.

Most Coffee Mornings involve:

• Enjoying tasty food and drinks
• Making connections and memories
• Having fun
• Raising vital funds for Macmillan!

We are proud to be partnering with Lindt as the official sponsor of Coffee Morning 2026. Lindt are partnering with Macmillan Cancer Support to help fund our services and deliver the best possible care to people affected by cancer.

For Lindt product questions, please visit the Lindt website.

If you change your mind about hearing from us, you can stop receiving our updates at any time by emailing contact@macmillan.org.uk or calling 0330 102 7866 for free.

Please see our privacy policy for more information.