{"id":3483,"date":"2013-09-12T18:04:57","date_gmt":"2013-09-12T16:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/?p=3483"},"modified":"2019-04-24T11:55:54","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T09:55:54","slug":"ms-host-macmillan-coffee-morning-to-remember-loved-ones-lost-to-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/news\/ms-host-macmillan-coffee-morning-to-remember-loved-ones-lost-to-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"M&S host MacMillan coffee morning to remember loved ones lost to cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world\u2019s biggest coffee morning later this month has a special resonance for staff at Marks and Spencers in Shrewsbury\u2019s Darwin Centre who have lost loved ones to cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The nationwide event in aid of MacMillan Nurses will see coffee mornings held throughout the UK and it will be special for many of the M&S staff, including Ruth Hart, Food Commercial Manager at the store.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruth 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

She said: \u201cWe have over 150 people working here at M&S in the Darwin Centre and so many of us have cause to be grateful to MacMillan Nurses which is why we want this to be the biggest event we\u2019ve ever done.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the fourth year running we\u2019ve held a Coffee Morning here and M&S is an official partner for the event which takes place on Friday, September 27, with 50p from every coffee sold going to MacMillan Nurses locally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut we will have special items on sale in support of the fund-raising right through to October 2 and our staff will be holding bring and buy and other activities, including a special recipe book, to boost the amount raised.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruth, from Pontfadog, near Oswestry, is the Regional Champion for M&S for 18 stores across Shripshire, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales, and she says she is just one of many people who have been touched by the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

She said: \u201cThere are several people here who have lost relatives and friends to cancer \u2013 our manager, Martin Woodhouse, lost both his parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister Lorna was only 55. She had breast cancer and within a year of being diagnosed she was dead and so was my cousin, Sheila McKechnie, the following year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey were both looked after by MacMillan and the job they do is fantastic and so worthwhile. They are a fantastic charity and we\u2019re delighted to be able to support them and we\u2019re determined to make this our best Coffee Morning ever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kevin Lockwood, Manager of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: \u201cStaff at M&S here in Shrewsbury really throw themselves into their charity work and I\u2019m sure with Ruth in charge this will be another successful event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier this summer the store took part in a series of fund-raising activities for cancer charities and they were given a target of \u00a31,000 to raise but they set their own target of \u00a32,000 \u2013 they ended up raising over \u00a35,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey are always doing something and have a very active Sport and Social Club which is at the hub of their charity work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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