World's Biggest Coffee Morning aims to create a stir in Shropshire

Thousands of cups of coffee will be drunk across Shropshire and mid Wales on Friday as part of the world's biggest coffee morning.

Proceeds from the event, organised by Macmillan Cancer Support, will help the fight against a disease diagnosed in 1,500 people in Shropshire over the past year alone.

Almost 900 coffee mornings were held across the county last year, – smashing the 2011 total of 440 and raising tens of thousands of pounds.

Becky Ellison, partnership account manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "Macmillan nurses specialise in providing care, support and information from the moment someone is diagnosed with cancer.

"More than one in three of us will get cancer. For most of us it will be the toughest fight we ever face. And the feelings of isolation and loneliness that so many people experience make it even harder. The Macmillan team is there for people every step of the way."

People in Shropshire benefit from 18 Macmillan professionals, including doctors,therapists and nurses specialising in lung, kidney and prostate cancer. At the Oswestry Orthopaedic there is a specialist in bone cancers.

The charity also gives financial help. Last year in Shropshire it gave £71,800 in patient grants to help 201 people in the county.

Lorna Bayliss, branch manager of Barclays Bank in Shifnal, said her fundraising efforts started when a close friend who was affected by cancer was helped by a Macmillan nurse in 2006.

"The Macmillan nurse was a great help and it was so nice to see my friend and his wife supported so well," she said.

Lorna trekked the Inca Trail in Peru to raise £7,200 for Macmillan in 2007, a 'tough four days' hike', which ended when she arrived in Machu Picchu, the Inca Lost City, where her now-husband proposed to her.

She plans to trek to the Everest Base Camp in 2015 to raise even more funds for Macmillan.

One of the big shops taking part is Marks & Spencer in the Darwin Centre, Shrewsbury.

Ruth Hart, food commercial manager at the store, lost a sister, Lorna, and a cousin, Dame Sheila McKechnie OBE, former head of homeless charity Shelter and the Consumer Association, to the disease and both were cared for by Macmillan Nurses.

Wombridge Church will be throwing open its doors and welcoming visitors to support the event. The group from Wombridge Church invite everyone to call in on Friday from 10.30am to 12pm to enjoy a coffee and a cake and also a enjoy a wander around this beautiful church. There will be activities available for children.

Coffee mornings will be held across Shropshire and Mid Wales on Friday, with some also taking place on Saturday. Many will also have stalls and raffles.

Friday, Telford area:

Women Only Workout Gym, Unit 13, Horton Court, Hortonwood, Telford, with low-fat, healthy cakes
Barclays Bank, Shifnal, with a guess the beans competition, raffle, homemade cakes and biscuits and a dress down day
Wellington Cottage Care Centre, with a raffle and a chance to join in with the exercise or art classes running at the centre that morning

Friday, Shrewsbury area:

Marks & Spencer, Darwin Centre; Toni & Guy, Castle Street; Shrewsbury Baptist Church, Claremont Street; Sundorne School and Sports College; Cruckton Hall School; Royal Shrewsbury Hospital; Shrewsbury Town Football Club; Salop Leisure, Emstrey; St Marys Church, Broughton.

Friday, north Shropshire:

The Whitchurch committee of Macmillan Cancer Support at the Archibald Worthington Club, Whitchurch; Maypole court cafe bistro off the High Street in Wem from 10am; The Old Rectory Hotel, in Lowe Hill Road, Wem, off High Street.

Friday, south Shropshire:

The Old Labour Club near the Station Drive surgery, Ludlow, 9.30am until 2pm, raffle tombola and other stalls.

Friday, Oswestry area:

Oswestry branch of Macmillan at The Wynnstay Hotel, Oswestry; Senior Citizens Club, Whittington organiser by Rita Moir and friends, with fundraising stalls and raffles; NFU Offices, Salop Road, Oswestry.

Mid Wales: