Mapping My Coffee Morning’s Impact From Street to Ward

I’ve hosted a few Macmillan Coffee Mornings now. I mean coffee, cake… what’s not to love?

But this year, I wanted to understand what actually happens once the donations leave my kitchen table. So, I boiled the kettle, set out the cakes, welcomed the neighbours, and later decided to follow the journey from our street collection to the people who eventually feel the benefit.

It turned out to be far more connected than I expected.

The tiny chain that starts on a doorstep

My first step was simple: counting the notes and coins with two neighbours who’d stayed behind to help with my fundraising.

We chatted about how every pound joins a wider pool of money that keeps Macmillan’s support services going. Later that week, I emailed the charity’s local team to ask how our donation would typically be used in their work.

A service manager kindly broke it down for me. She explained that community fundraising helps pay for practical help, emotional guidance, and the everyday tools their teams rely on. She also passed on a short quote from a nurse at our nearby hospital, who said:

“When community events raise money, it keeps our team steady. It means I can sit with someone longer when they’re scared, rather than rushing off.”

That sentence stuck with me. It made our little Coffee Morning feel part of something quiet but steady, and so necessary.

How the neighbourhood got involved

This year’s Coffee Morning spread faster than usual.

A few parents shared it on the school WhatsApp group, my next-door neighbour put a note in the shared Facebook group, and someone pinned the flyer to the GP surgery noticeboard. It was a nice ego boost, I’ll admit, but I didn’t plan any of this; it just happened naturally once people heard what we were doing.

Because of that, we had guests who’d never been to our community centre before: one of the GPs dropped by on her lunch break, a neighbour from a few doors down brought her mum, and a couple just walking past decided to join us! It reminded me that a Coffee Morning is as much a community moment as it is a fundraiser, and it was great to be able to spread a bit more awareness.

Checking the impact close to home

After I sent off the donation money this year, I asked the service manager if the money we’d raised was likely to stay in our area. She said that while everything goes into one shared pot, local fundraising does help keep nearby services running smoothly.

She pointed out that our nearest cancer centre receives frequent support from Macmillan teams, which really hit close to home for those of us who’ve had loved ones dealing with cancer. Our donations might cover everything from guidance calls to in-person help on the wards.

It was such a great conversation that really reminded me of how much impact sharing a few slices of Victoria sponge can really have; just a calm explanation of how each community event strengthens the services people rely on right here.

A simple way to map your own “impact chain”

If you want to try something similar to track your donation impact, it doesn’t need to be formal, and it can really make your friends, family, and community feel great. This is all I did:

1. Write down where everyone who shows up heard about the Coffee Morning (I had “word of mouth”, “at school”, “at work”, and even “Facebook” last time).
2. Note where the donations go directly from you: so whether people donate to your fundraising page, put cash in a collection tin, or a mixture.
3. Contact your local Macmillan team and ask how community funds usually support their nearby services specifically.
4. If you can, collect one short quote, story, or explanation you feel happy to share.

I got a bit crafty and created a little chain: Street → Coffee Morning → Donation → Local Services → Patients and families. I mocked it up as a poster I can use at the next Coffee Morning and also share on social media for everyone to reshare. People like knowing that something friendly and simple can ripple out beyond the front door and actually do some real good.

A Coffee Morning is one of the easiest ways to support a great cause, and every single donation to Macmillan has a real, lasting impact in your community and beyond.

Author Bio

I’m Holly, a business owner and lifelong lemon-drizzle enthusiast who loves nothing more than a good natter over a cup of coffee. When I’m not writing, chatting, or working, you’ll probably find me helping out at my local church or cuddling my two dogs. Hosting my first Macmillan coffee morning reminded me how powerful small community moments can be and I can’t wait to plan the next one.

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