They say charity begins at home, but sometimes it starts in Devon. That was certainly the case when big-hearted staff working at Regus sites in the area decided to raise some much-needed cash for a well-loved cancer charity.

Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is a nationwide event where everyday people, workplaces, friends and organisations break out the brews and sweet treats, asking for donations to raise money for the charity.

This year, Regus staff in Devon hosted their own special coffee mornings to do their part and raised some crucial funds, which will now go to supporting those with cancer. Their efforts were helped by the generosity of all who attended, including each site’s business clients.

“We are always looking to be involved in fundraising for local and national charities,” says

Dominic Bateman, Area Manager at IWG. The event was a major success and managed to raise the impressive sum of £456 for the charity. “This came from coffee and cake donations from both the team and clients of ours in Exeter and Plymouth,” he adds.

The first ever coffee morning ran in 1990 and began with the simple idea of having friends to gather for a break and donate to charity rather than paying for their cuppa, providing Macmillan support in the process. It was so effective the charity did it again the next year, but this time rolling it out nationally. Since then the annual event has raised over £200 million.

“This charity is close to quite a few of our team and client's hearts,” adds Bateman. “The work they do is incredible and really has helped families close to us and in the region. “We wanted to do our bit for the charity and will continue to do so with the Macmillan charity and charities close to our hearts.”

Macmillan’s Tanya Humphreys says the money raised from coffee mornings is an invaluable addition to the charity’s funds, providing crucial services to help people up and down the country deal with the illness. “Whether it’s specialist cancer nurses, GPs, therapists or advisers, we can only offer the support that people with cancer need thanks to the tireless fundraising efforts of our supporters,” she says.

“The number of people who need our help is growing, and we want to offer support to everyone who needs it. Please rest assured that every cake, every brew, every penny raised will now go on to help us to achieve this ambition,” she adds.

Regus’s Devon sites include Sutton Harbour and Drake Circus in Plymouth as well as The Senate, Marsh Barton Trading Estate, and Exeter Business Park, all in Exeter. The Devon sites are fast earning a reputation for being a pretty big-hearted bunch and that’s certainly not the end of the team’s charitable exploits, with some festive fashion fun already pencilled in to help raise funds for vulnerable children. 

“Our next charity event is Christmas jumper day on December 13,” says Bateman. “We hope to raise more money for Save the Children. This will be a great day full of laughs and great jumpers with the team and clients all being involved.”

For more information about Regus sites in Devon, visit Regus Devon