Host a community Coffee Morning
Bring your community together for Coffee Morning
Join thousands of community groups and organisations across the UK which are hosting a Coffee Morning and making a huge difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.
The official day for Coffee Morning 2026 is Friday 25 September. In the past, many people have hosted their Coffee Mornings before or after our official date.
Community Coffee Mornings come in all shapes and sizes. Previous hosts have come together with:
- their sports clubs, book clubs and knitting groups
- people from their faith and hosted in their place of worship
- their neighbours and held a street party.
However you host, your Coffee Morning will be making a real difference to the lives of people living with cancer.
Tips for hosting a community Coffee Morning
Picking a venue
If you want to host a Coffee Morning in your community, you'll need to find the right venue.
You could:
- hire a local community hall
- book a room in a library
- work with a local restaurant, café or pub
- host your event in your place of worship's community space
- hold your event at a sports centre or sport club
- get together with your neighbours and host a street party
- book an outdoor space like a local park or local market space.
Inviting people to your community Coffee Morning
Spread the word and make it easy for people to attend your Coffee Morning or donate:
- Use our Coffee Morning poster and Coffee Morning invite
- Share on social media - Facebook post 1 and Facebook post 2
- Add your event to our Coffee Morning map if it's a public event
- Share your fundraising page
- a handy top tips guide for promoting your Coffee Morning.
Food and drinks for your Coffee Morning
One great thing about hosting in your community means that you can get attendees involved with food and drink.
You could ask guests to donate home-baked or shop bought treats. If many people are baking and bringing their own dishes, you could also give a prize for best dish served.
Businesses in your area may also want to contribute by donating food and drinks. Or they could match your donations - simply use our Matched Giving form.
If you need inspiration, take a look at our Coffee Morning recipes. There are both sweet and savoury treats, but also vegan and gluten free options too.
Decorate for your Coffee Morning
When you sign up to host a Coffee Morning, we'll send you a fundraising kit which has everything you need for your event.
If you have hosted before, you may already have a tablecloth, bunting and other items, so a lite kit with less printed materials and no plastic may suit you.
If not, sign up for a full kit and you will receive bunting, balloons, and a tablecloth to decorate your Coffee Morning on the big day.
Bring on the fun
To add more fun to your Coffee Morning, and help raise more money, you can get everyone involved in games and activities.
Some activities you could do:
- Hosting a quiz. Test your attendees knowledge on different subjects. You could event adapt our Coffee Morning quiz for a question round.
- Hold a raffle. You could ask attendees or local businesses to donate items for the raffle.
- Make it a competition. You could give a prize to the best baked item brought to your Coffee Morning. Or if you're having a themed event, the best fancy dress.
We'll send you some games in your fundraising kit. We also have plenty of fundraising games and resources that are free to download. They include activities to keep kids and younger people entertained at your event.
We also have guidance on things to consider when planning an accessible event and how to keep your event safe and legal.
Why host a Coffee Morning in your community?
1. It's a great event for the social calendar
2. Connect with people in your community and local area
3. Support people living with cancer
Attend a Coffee Morning in your community
If you're unable to host a Coffee Morning, then there may be one in your local area that you can support. Discover your nearest Coffee Morning by using our postcode search.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where can I host a Coffee Morning in my community?
There are many places where you can host a community Coffee Morning like:
- a community hall
- room in your local library
- at a local café, restaurant, or pub
- in your place of worship's community room or hall
- on your street by having a street fair
- sports club or fitness centre.
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Do I need to book a venue for a community Coffee Morning?
No, you don't need to book a venue for your community Coffee Morning unless you want to.
You may already have access to a venue that you don't need to book to use. For example, if you're hosting a Coffee Morning with your sports club, you could have it right after a practice or match in the clubhouse. Or if you're hosting at a place of worship, you can have it there or in the community/recreational space.
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How much planning does a community Coffee Morning need?
Planning a community Coffee Morning doesn't have to be complicated or difficult. How much time and effort you make will depend on how large you would like your event to be and if you have support in planning and hosting it.
To help you plan you can use our:
- Host checklist and wall planner to help you decide what actions you need to take to plan your Coffee Morning. If your event is virtual, we have tips for hosting an online Coffee Morning.
- Helper nomination cards to ask people to support you in planning your Coffee Morning.
- Coffee Morning recipes to give you inspiration on what to serve at your event.
We will also send you tips and advice for planning and hosting your Coffee Morning by email and in your fundraising kit.
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How can I raise money at my community Coffee Morning?
Once you sign up to host a Coffee Morning, we'll send you a free fundraising kit that is full of ideas to help make your event a success. It will include a fundraising game and Gift Aid sheet to help you raise even more money.
We will also send you a link to your own online Coffee Morning fundraising page. You can use the QR code stickers in your fundraising pack so people can donate to your fundraising page.
Other ways to fundraise at your community Coffee Morning:
- Hold a raffle or sweepstake. Collect items for the raffle by asking your attendees or local businesses to donate.
- Get a sponsor and ask them to match your donations. You can use our Matched Giving form.
- Organise a sports tournament and charge teams for taking part.
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How do I pay in the money I've raised?
You can pay in your Coffee Morning money:
- Online
- Over the phone at 0330 102 7890
- At a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, or Ulster Bank, using your unique paying-in slip included in your fundraising kit
- At any Post Office branch by taking in your money along with your unique paying-in slip from your Coffee Morning kit.
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Where do I send my Gift Aid form and my cheque to?
Please use the freepost envelope in your fundraising kit to send us your cheques and Gift Aid form, once it’s filled in with all the details.
Cheques should be made payable to Macmillan Cancer Support (please do not send cash) and don’t forget to include your name and address so we can make sure the money goes to your Coffee Morning total.
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 9QL