Macmillan Coffee Mornings: How Care Homes Can Get Involved

Every year, Macmillan Coffee Morning brings people across the UK together to raise money to support people living with cancer. Since the first Coffee Morning in 1990, the event has grown into Macmillan’s biggest annual fundraiser, with gatherings ranging from small home gatherings to workplace, school and community events.

The official Macmillan Coffee Morning 2026 date is Friday 25 September, although Macmillan encourages people to host their event whenever works best for them. For care homes, a Coffee Morning can be an opportunity to welcome residents, relatives, staff and members of the local community for an informal event centred around food, conversation and fundraising.

What Is Macmillan Cancer Support?

Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the UK’s largest and most recognised health charities. It was founded in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan, who established the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer following his father’s battle with cancer.

Today, Macmillan provides information, practical and emotional support, funds healthcare professionals, carries out research into cancer care and campaigns for improvements in cancer services. Its support is available to people at every stage of their cancer experience.

Some of the ways Macmillan supports people affected by cancer include:

• Healthcare professionals: Macmillan funds and supports specialist healthcare roles, including Macmillan nurses, who work across hospitals, hospices and community settings.
• Practical and emotional guidance: The charity provides its free Macmillan Support Line, Online Community, and information and support centres, giving people somewhere to ask questions and find information about cancer and its effects.
• Financial assistance: Macmillan provides information about benefits and financial support, as well as access to specialist money advisers. Some local Macmillan grants are also available in specific areas of the UK.
• Campaigning and advocacy: Macmillan campaigns for improvements in cancer care and researches the needs and experiences of people living with cancer to help inform its work.

Fundraising is an important part of this work. Macmillan states that it is 98% funded by donations, making events such as Coffee Morning an important source of funding for its work.

What Is the Macmillan Coffee Morning?

The first Macmillan Coffee Morning took place in 1990. The idea was simple: people would get together for coffee and donate the cost of their drink to Macmillan. The event proved successful and was held nationally the following year. In 1991, 300,000 people took part and raised more than £250,000.

Today, Coffee Mornings come in many different forms, including:

• Casual gatherings at home with family and neighbours.
• Workplace events and bake sales.
• School and community fundraisers.
• Social events hosted by local groups and other organisations.

The basic idea remains the same: bring people together, enjoy some food and drinks, and raise money to support people living with cancer.

Why Is Macmillan Coffee Morning Important?

Macmillan estimates that almost 3.5 million people are currently living with cancer in the UK. The charity provides information, practical and emotional support, funds healthcare professionals and campaigns for improvements in cancer care.

Money raised through Coffee Morning helps Macmillan continue this work by supporting:

• Macmillan nurses and healthcare professionals: Funding and supporting specialist professionals who provide care and support to people living with cancer.
• Information and emotional support: Providing services such as the Macmillan Support Line, Online Community, and information and support centres.
• Financial guidance: Helping people affected by cancer understand their benefits and find appropriate financial support.
• Research and campaigning: Researching the experiences and needs of people living with cancer and campaigning for improvements in cancer care.

More Than a Fundraiser

While raising money is the main purpose of Coffee Morning, the event can also allow residents, relatives, staff and visitors to spend time together. A Coffee Morning can provide another occasion for people to come together, talk and enjoy an activity outside the usual routine.

For residents, the event could:

• Provide an opportunity to maintain connections with the local community.
• Give families and care staff time to socialise in a relaxed setting.
• Give residents a shared activity to help plan, decorate and enjoy.
• Create opportunities for residents to share favourite recipes, music or memories with other people.

How Care Homes Can Get Involved

Successfully hosting a Coffee Morning relies on making the event accessible and welcoming.

Involve Residents

Every resident will have a different preference for how they like to participate, so ensure everyone can take part in a way that suits their strengths and preferences:

• Baking and food prep: Residents who enjoy baking can help prepare simple treats, shape biscuits, or decorate cupcakes.
• Decorations: Creative residents can make table centerpieces, bunting, or welcome signs.
• Hosting: Socially active residents can welcome visitors at the door or hand out menus.
• Music selection: Residents can help curate a playlist of familiar classics to set a welcoming tone.

Participation should always be voluntary. For some residents, the most enjoyable way to take part is simply sitting in a quiet corner with a family member and enjoying a hot drink.

Help Residents Living With Dementia Enjoy the Event

A busy Coffee Morning may not suit everyone. Residents living with dementia may prefer a quieter environment or shorter periods of activity, so the event should be adapted around individual preferences and usual routines.

Care homes could:

• Provide a quieter space: Have a quieter lounge or area available for anyone who finds the main gathering too busy or noisy.
• Keep familiar routines: Avoid disrupting important meal, medication or rest times where possible.
• Use clear visual information: Simple signs can help people identify where refreshments, toilets and different areas are located.
• Use familiar music and activities: Favourite songs, recipes or familiar decorations could help make the event feel more recognisable.
• Avoid pressure to participate: Residents should be able to join in as much or as little as they want. Someone who prefers to sit with a family member and enjoy a cup of tea is still taking part.

Welcome Families and the Local Community

Extend invitations early to help families plan their visits around the event. Care homes can also reach out to:

• Nearby primary schools or nurseries.
• Local community choirs, book clubs, or volunteer groups.
• Neighbours, parish councils, and local businesses.

Food, Drinks, and Refreshment Ideas

You do not need to be a professional baker to put together a welcoming Coffee Morning. A mixture of familiar favourites and options that suit different dietary requirements can help make the event accessible to more people.

Ideas could include:

• Classic refreshments: Freshly brewed coffee, tea, hot chocolate, scones with jam and cream, sponge cakes, and traybakes.
• Inclusive options: Ensure gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free options are clearly labeled and displayed separately so every resident can participate safely.
• Interactive themes: Host a friendly “Staff vs. Family Bake-Off” where residents vote for their favorite cake, or create a “Recipe Memory Wall” featuring residents’ favorite family baking recipes.

Ensure all home-baked items clearly list common allergens (nuts, gluten, dairy, eggs) and are stored safely.

How To Host a Macmillan Coffee Morning

Getting started is relatively simple. Macmillan recommends that hosts:

1. Choose a date and location: The official 2026 date is Friday 25 September, but you can choose another date if that works better for residents, families and staff.
2. Sign up to host: Register your Coffee Morning with Macmillan.
3. Set up fundraising: After registering, hosts receive a welcome email with a link to their JustGiving fundraising page.
4. Order your fundraising kit: Macmillan sends a fundraising kit by post, although it can take up to three weeks to arrive.
5. Start planning: Macmillan also provides free resources such as posters, invitations and guides to help hosts prepare.

For a care home, it can be useful to decide early whether the event will be mainly for residents and their families or whether you want to invite members of the wider community.

Easy Care Home Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising in a care home should be straightforward, fun, and non-pressured, such as:

• Suggested donation per cup: Invite visitors to make a voluntary donation when they have a drink or piece of cake.
• Raffle or tombola: Ask local businesses or families whether they would like to donate prizes, making sure the care home follows the relevant rules for the activity.
• “Guess the weight of the cake”: A simple, interactive game that residents and visitors of all ages can enjoy.
• Bake-off: Invite staff or family members to bring a cake and let residents and visitors vote for their favourite.
• Digital donations: Use the QR code provided through Macmillan’s Coffee Morning fundraising resources so visitors can donate online.

Bringing People Together for a Good Cause

Whether it’s a quiet gathering in a residential lounge or a large community event, hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning is a practical way to support a national charity while building community connections.

By tailoring the event to residents’ needs, preferences, and routines, care homes can create a warm, inclusive morning that celebrates togetherness while raising funds for those living with cancer.