THE countdown is well and truly on until M&S stores across the country host Macmillan Cancer Support’s flagship fundraising event, World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

In what is the seventh year of M&S collaborating with Macmillan, the M&S Ayr and M&S Foodhall Healthfield, Ayr stores are inviting shoppers to join them for a coffee and a slice of cake on Friday, September 30 as they pull out all the stops.

Since M&S started supporting World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in 2010, the retailer has raised over £6 million for Macmillan Cancer Support. The money raised by M&S helps to support people affected by cancer as well as fund vital posts in local communities, right across the UK. Last year, 26 Macmillan professional posts were funded.

Margaret Ann Gibbons, Store Manager at M&S Ayr said: “World’s Biggest Coffee Morning provides the perfect excuse to gather friends and family for a catch-up over a slice of cake and a hot drink safe in the knowledge that you’ll be making a huge difference to millions of lives across the country.

"We’ll have lots of fun activities happening in store on Friday, September 30, and as a cause which is close the hearts of many of our staff and customers, we’re hopeful that this year’s event will be our most successful yet.

"We would be over the moon if customers visit us in-store to support the coffee morning and to join in the celebrations.”

This year’s coffee morning event comes as it is revealed that there are two and a half million people living with cancer in the UK today, a number that is set to rise to four million by 2030.

Fundraising efforts have been underway at M&S since the start of the month and will continue until the end of September.

Throughout this time shoppers will be able to enjoy a whole host of tasty treats on sale in M&S Foodhalls with 10 percent of each sale going to Macmillan.

Products include a delicious Victoria Sandwich, Afternoon Tea Fairy Cakes and 13 flavours of cake and cookie mixes. All M&S Cafés will also be donating 5p from every cup of coffee and slice of cake sold throughout September to Macmillan Cancer Support.

An array of gorgeous, limited edition home products, including a bone china mug, a set of three tea towels, a cake tin and an apron will also be available in the majority of M&S homeware departments with 10 per cent of each sale going to the charity.

Alix Wooding, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “With just two weeks to go until the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, we have already received a huge amount of support and we thank everyone who has played their part. 

"Remember, whether you’re just popping into your local M&S to pick-up a cake mix ahead of hosting your own coffee morning, or planning to visit a store on the coffee morning day itself on the 30th, you’ll be helping us raise vital funds!”