Inspiring stories behind successful coffee mornings raising cash for cancer care

Inspiring stories behind fundraising coffee mornings have resulted in more than £2,000 being raised for cancer care.Cancer survivor Melanie Grange, assistant front of house manager at Lynn’s Alive Corn Exchange, wanted to give something back in gratitude to the care she had received so she organised her first coffee morning back in 2012 and money raised has resulted in donations to the town’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Cancer Care and Treatment Centre.Said Melanie: “Being a cancer survivor, the support I received during my own treatment inspired me to give back to the charity that helped my family and I.

“I’ve been organising coffee mornings from 2012, the year I was diagnosed, and since joining the Corn Exchange team, it has become a cherished workplace tradition. We come together to bake, buy, and enjoy, and this year we wanted to focus on supporting the hospital’s Cancer Care and Treatment Centre, as so many people we know have been affected by cancer.”

Last year, Alive West Norfolk united with a shared mission to raise funds for hospital’s Cancer Care and Treatment Centre and following five bake sales, the Alive West Norfolk team raised £2,176.What started as a modest coffee morning eight years ago in support of the national Macmillan Cancer Support charity has become a tradition and the last four years, the proceeds have been shared between Macmillan Cancer Support and the hospital’s centre.Suzi Pimlott, an instructor at Alive West Norfolk, also shared her connection with the cause. “Cancer has deeply impacted my aquafit community. I’ve lost five members, not to mention their family members, to cancer. My own husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had surgery in March 2020, just as the country was entering lockdown. But we’ve also seen many of our regulars overcome cancer with remarkable resilience, and their victories have been a true inspiration.”Kathryn Bithray, Alive West Norfolk’s PR and advertising officer, said: “Through our work with the cancer specialists at the QEH, particularly with the physical activity programmes for patients, I’ve experienced first-hand the care and support the team offers. “My mother has recently received cancer treatment at the QEH, and the staff were incredible. Melanie and Suzi share this connection, which is why we decided to dedicate the proceeds from our bake sales to the hospital this year. It’s our way of saying thank you to the team that’s supported us all.”Aiswarya George, the Cancer Care and Treatment Centre’s ward manager, thanked the group, and said: “On behalf of the team, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved at Alive West Norfolk’s coffee mornings.“Your dedication and kindness not only brought our communities closer together, but the funds raised will make a meaningful difference to our patients. We are truly grateful for your continued support and for the warmth you’ve shared with us.” The success of the Alive Oasis event at Hunstanton was made possible by the generosity of businesses and individuals who donated prizes, including The Lavender Lounge (Heacham), Tesco Hunstanton, Snettisham Park, Imagine Spa (Knights Hill), GG’s Treasures (Hunstanton), Anita’s Salon (Hunstanton), Farmer Fred’s Playbarn (Heacham), Sanjutha at Grimston Stores and aquafit members who contributed gifts.This year’s effort stands as a shining example of how a community, united by a shared cause, can create lasting change for those battling cancer in their own neighbourhood, a hospital spokesperson said.If you would like to raise funds for the QEH see www.qehklcharity.co.uk or email the charity team at Charity@qehkl.nhs.uk or call 01553 613309.