A DEDICATED Kidderminster resident hosted her final Macmillan Coffee Morning to bring her incredible fundraising effort to more than £50,000 for the charity.

On Friday (September 28), Ruth Hopscroft hosted her final Macmillan Coffee Morning at her home after 14 years of taking part in the annual fundraiser.

Since Ruth hosted her first Macmillan Coffee Morning in 2004, she has raised over £50,000. This year alone, she and husband Melvyn raised over £6,000, with over 200 people attending the event.

She said: “I started hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning because a number of my friends had been helped by local Macmillan nurses.

“Over the years, it has grown and has become a social affair for everyone. People get involved in any way they can, whether it be donating prizes for the raffle or baking cakes for guests to enjoy. We usually expect over 100 people to attend.

“I’ve really enjoyed hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning over the last 14 years, but my husband and I are not getting any younger and we therefore do not feel we are able to cope with the size of the event anymore.”

Sarah Diston, Regional Fundraising Manager for Worcestershire, said: “Macmillan relies on voluntary donations, so the money Ruth and Melyvn have raised from coffee morning is incredible vital and greatly appreciated.

“The amazing amount of money they have raised has made such a big difference to people living with cancer in Worcestershire.

“Ruth is wonderful and her coffee morning brings together so many people from the community. I’m sure it won’t only be Macmillan who misses Ruth next year, it will also leave a massive hole in the community’s social calendar.”

Elsewhere, Marks & Spencer in Kidderminster raised more than £3,000 for the cause with their superhero themed event, which saw a performance from a West Midlands vocal group, the Harmonikx as well as a staff cyclothon challenge throughout the day.

As well as the coffee morning event, the Kidderminster M&S has been helping to raise funds for Macmillan throughout September by donating 10 per cent of each sale from a variety of treats from M&S Foodhalls, such as the limited edition Macmillan ‘Colin the Caterpillar’. M&S Cafés have also donated 5p from every hot drink and slice of cake sold to the charity.

Lesley Price, Store Manager at M&S Kidderminster said: “We have been overwhelmed by the level of support we have received from local customers for this year’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.”

And pupils, parents and staff at Winterfold School helped raise more than £1,000 when they put on their fundraiser on the morning, selling an array of cakes and coffee.