Brewing up for the nation's biggest coffee morning

In England, when trouble beckons or we receive bad news, our first instinct is often to put the kettle on.

Sipping a cup of tea or coffee can be calming, comforting and convivial, and leaning on those around us can lessen the burden.

And tomorrow hundreds of kettles will boil in aid of the 4,400 people in Norfolk who this year received the dreaded news they had cancer.

Supporters will be raising cash for cancer charity Macmillan as part of the annual World's Biggest Coffee Morning, which last year raised �7.5m nationally with 4,500 events.

Rock stars and mayors will be taking tea with townsfolk and tourists at more than 600 events in the county, from a coffee corner at a county market to an entire street of celebrations.

A home in Sprowston that cares for residents aged between 75 and 103 will be transformed into a travelling train for its Irish themed event.

Staff have decorated the dining room as a buffet car and have changed the d�cor and menus every day this week to give residents a taste of travel, and their last stop in Ireland will coincide with a coffee afternoon with music, dancing, shortbread and Irish coffee with Baileys.

In Neatishead organisers are gearing up for their 13th Macmillan coffee morning - this time in the newly built eco-friendly village hall.

And near Diss legendary keyboard player Rick Wakeman will be lending a star touch to the coffee morning at Yaxley village hall.

Last year Norfolk people alone raised �158,000 for the charity - and this year the fundraising target is a stiff �200,000.

Norfolk fundraising manager Helen Chapman said: 'We are always desperate to provide more services and the more money we can raise the more people we can put in place to help.

'At the moment we have the funds to reach one in two people affected by cancer. We want to be able to reach everyone.

'Whether people raise �10 or �200 every penny will make a difference.'

To register your coffee morning visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee or call 0845 602 1246.

For cancer information and support contact Ask Macmillan Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm by freephone 0808 808 0000 or textphone 0808 808 0121.

For more information on Macmillan locally including how you could help raise vital cash call Helen Chapman on 01603 626433 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk.

What's happening around the region

Sheringham: Meet mayor Noel Gant for a coffee in the council chambers. Sheringham Town Council, Church Street. 10am - 12pm.

Wymondham: An entire street will be serving coffee with all the businesses and shops taking part. Fairland Street. 10am - 12pm.

Norwich: Enjoy a virtual train ride and a spot of music and dance at an Irish themed event. Warren Residential Home, 157a Wroxham Road. 2pm.

Taverham: Cakes and coffee will be on offer at the Drayton and District county market. Taverham Village Hall, Sandy Lane. 9am - 11.30am.

Neatishead: The organisers' lucky 13th coffee morning held in the brand new village hall. Victory Hall, The Street. 10am - 12pm.

Yarmouth: Sample cakes made by the mayoress in the town hall. Assembly Room, Town Hall, Hall Plain. 10am - 3pm.

Diss: Blooming good fun is to be had with free coffee at a garden centre. Blooms of Bressingham Garden Centre, Low Road, Bressingham. 9am - 10.30am.

Watton: Weight Watchers members will be serving up delicious low-fat cakes and coffee. Chequers Pub, Griston Road, Thompson. 10am - 12pm Saturday

How you could help

To find out how to set up your own fundraising event, including fundraising and promotional materials, visit www.macmillan.org.uk.

You can also find forms on the website to send a cheque or card donation through the post.

Call 020 7840 4900 Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm or Friday 9am - 4.30pm to make a credit, debit or charity card payment.

Make a one-off donation or set up regular payments by direct debit by visiting www.macmillan.org.uk/Donate.

Text COFFEE to 70123. Texts cost �3, of which between �2.47 and �2.80 depending on your mobile phone provider goes to the charity.

Donate in person at branches of Natwest bank by transferring money to the Macmillan account.

What support does Macmillan provide

Macmillan nurses and other healthcare professionals - Norfolk has 50 nurses, doctors, dieticians and occupational therapists who use their expert knowledge to help people understand and manage their symptoms and side effects.

Specialist benefits advice - Macmillan funds advisors who carry out home visits to help patients get the help they are entitled to, so they can worry less about money and the consequences of having to give up work.

Financial grants - each year Macmillan gives around �70,000 to over 160 Norfolk cancer patients to help with fares to hospital, a warm duvet, or even a last family holiday.

Ask Macmillan (formerly the CancerLine) - over 400 people from Norfolk contacted our freephone number for information and emotional support in 2008.

Mobile cancer information centre - this drop-in information and support service has visited Norwich and the Royal Norfolk Show so far this year.

Three Macmillan banners have gone missing from Norwich city centre since they were installed last week.

The banners advertising tomorrow's coffee morning were put up by volunteers outside St Peter Mancroft and St John Maddermarket churches and in Anglia Square.

All three were removed within days and Macmillan workers discovered one dumped next to a rubbish bin.

Norfolk fundraising manager Helen Chapman said: 'It's very annoying. We want to help people with cancer. If we can't spread the word to get people donating then we won't be able to help as much as we'd like.

'We want to use the banners but we'll have to decide whether it's worth putting them up in Norwich again.'

The reusable banners cost between �36 and �40 each. They measure 12ft by 3ft and were secured with cables.

The charity had permission from the city council to display the banners.