A MARTLEY group used the initial success of a Macmillan coffee morning to launch a monthly fundraiser, which has gone on to raise thousands for various charities.

Martley villagers first got together for a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer Support in September 2012, which managed to raise £366.

Mandy Gardner, one of the organisers of the event, said: "After the success of the first one, everyone kept asking 'when are you holding another'.

"So since January 2013, we have held a coffee morning on the last Saturday of every month in Martley Village Hall.

"We regularly get between 50 and 60 people, old and young.

"A total of £12,860 has been donated to 25 different charities, all nominated by supporters of the event."

Among the charities to have benefitted over the years are Changing Faces, the Nora Parsons Day Centre, the British Legion, St Peters Church, the Salvation Army and Myeloma UK.

"Our biggest event is still for Macmillan Cancer Support, which will be held on September 24 this year," Mrs Gardner said.

"Last year we raised £1,111 for Macmillan and hope to improve on that figure this year, with the support of our local pub, businesses and our wonderful generous villagers."

• Are you holding a Macmillan Coffee morning event?

Each year Macmillan Cancer Support encourages people to hold their own coffee morning, whether at home, in the workplace or somewhere else in the community.

We want to hear about all the events happening in Malvern, so we can let people know ahead of the charity's world's biggest coffee morning event, which this year takes place on Friday, September 30.

Send your event details - as well as pictures after the event - to sgr@worcesternews.co.uk.

For more on the charity visit macmillan.org.uk.