Big-hearted staff at a Wrexham store are brewing up another special day of fundraising for a cancer support charity.
After raising hundreds of pounds from the popular event over the past few years, the team at Boots at the Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre the will be steaming back into action on Friday September 29 as they lend their support to the latest Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
While advisers from the No. 7 beauty department right next to the main door will be offering free expert make-overs to image-conscious customers in return for a small donation to the charity, the day will also feature a big sale of cakes made specially by Boots’ own bake-off brigade along with a draw for a host of valuable prizes.
Over the years the Eagles Meadow Boots store has forged strong links with Macmillan, which has become a cause very close to the hearts of staff.
No. 7 adviser Ceri Evans is one of a small number who have undergone special training by Macmillan to provide beauty help and advice to ladies who have had cancer.
Ceri, who has worked for Boots for 38 years, said: “The Macmillan training helps myself and the other advisers to give just the right advice about how people can still look great despite having cancer.
“Often the treatment they undergo means they lose their hair, including the eyebrows, their skin becomes very dry or their finger nails brittle. We can advise on how best to deal with these problems.
“Ladies who have been through cancer often want to talk to someone other than their family members, about how it has affected them.
“I think we are able to empathise rather than sympathise with them and I recently spent 15 minutes just talking to a lady who came in to see us.
“I go to Wrexham Maelor Hospital once a month to give advice to ladies who have had cancer and, if they wish, they can also book online to come to the store for a make-over.”
Ceri added: “The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is always a fantastic day and apart from the money we raise it always provides lots of opportunities to have fun.
“The staff will be busy baking fancy cakes for people to buy and we’ll be doing free make-overs for anyone who’d like to give us a small donation in return. There’s also a prize draw which is always popular and all donations on the day will go to Macmillan.”
The No. 7 advisers have been busy practising their skills ahead of the Coffee Morning make-overs.
Taking a break from her consultation, customer Betty Williams from Wrexham said: “Cancer affects so many people and I have friends who have had the disease, so it’s great to see Boots organising special events like. It’s a definitely a great idea.”
The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer when the charity asks people all over the UK to host their own coffee mornings and gratefully accepts all donations made.
The first ever Coffee Morning happened back in 1990 and it was so effective, Macmillan did it again the next year on a nationwide scale. Since then, the Coffee Morning has raised over £165.5 million for Macmillan.
Last year alone the charity collected £29.5 million and this year is aiming for an even bigger total.
Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley said: “I’m delighted Boots staff are supporting Macmillian.
“The amount of charity fundraising that goes on at many of our shops, restaurants and other outlets here at Eagles Meadow is amazing.
“However, we could never raise the amount of charity cash that we do without the support of our shoppers and visitors.”
