This blog could also be titled ’10 lessons learnt from over 10 years of Cake Fests’!

This year, 2025, will be the 13th Cake Fest that Marian and I have held for Macmillan Cancer Support, and we hope, as always, it will be something magnificent.

We’d like to think we put the fun into fundraising. We have a great time putting together our menus, baking up a storm and giving you something to look forward to. Over the years, we’ve organised epic mornings of fundraising, cake-eating and difference-making.

If you’re thinking of holding a coffee morning or cake fest for Macmillan (or your own chosen charity) you might be looking for some top tips to make it a success. Over a brew and a biccie we made a wee list of our top ten points to help you have a great day.

1. Invite

Invite everyone from your pals to neighbourhood newbies.

Talk about it. Talk about it non stop to everyone! Tell the mums at the school gates, your neighbours over the fence, your sweaty pals at your exercise classes, colleagues and clients. Show you passion and tell them the story of why. 

2. Advertise

Don’t rely on social media to reach everyone. Not everyone is on there and letting people know with a personal message/text or in person is a thoughtful touch.

Over the years we’ve handed out hand-written invites, made posters and even sent postcards!

3. Plan

What is it they say? To fail to plan is to plan to fail?

It’s that’s simple, make a plan and stick to it. Know who’s baking what, ordering what, and providing what. Who’s in charge of advertising, who’s organising the competition prizes, who’s going to bank in the funds. Think of who’s coming and what they might need. Do you have the right seating? Are there any dietary requirements? Are there any children to entertain and provide for?

4. Prepare

Be prepared. There will be soggy bottoms and over-baked sponges, miscalculated ingredients and forgotten goodies, not everything will go to plan. It’s all just part of the fun! Laugh it off, have a back up bake or two and make sure there’s always time (or someone you can call on) to nip out for extra supplies. Here’s a secret – no one will mind if you serve up a pack of store-bought biscuits, they’re here to support you and your cause.

5. Ask For Help

Make a to-do list and share out the tasks. There’s a lot to do organising any event and a coffee morning is no different. From baking treats to setting up the tables and chairs, labelling boxes and scrubbing the mugs, there’s something for everyone to help with.

6. Adapt

You can never bake to much. Donate excess, ask people to take it in to work places, toddler groups, common rooms, you never know you might make a few more pennies too! If you’re holding a coffee morning at home or locally, ask guests to bring their own tub to take away some extra goodies and enjoy at home.

Adapt what you’re offering to suit the day and attendees, too. Over the years, our guests have changed from having lots of young children present to none at all. On the occasions when we had lots of children coming, we offered a pre-ordered lunch bag for them with a colouring sheet, sandwich or sausage roll, fruit and a treat. We put out toys so no one got bored and spread out a picnic blanket for a feast in the middle of the room – it was great fun and easy to clean up!

And then there was the pandemic… The years we couldn’t have people in. Did it stop us – NO! Cancer doesn’t stop, so neither do we. We adapted to offering cake boxes filled with all our usual treats, and everyone collected them from the doorstep, queueing 2m part of course (remember that)! We also launched a range of printed goods online, and both additions were so successful that we’ve kept them going!

7. Options

Create items to purchase or have a raffle, not everyone will be able to make it and some may not even like cake! Having options for them to get involved means no one is left out.

One year my amazing green-fingered neighbour, Anne, made gorgeous dried flower bouquets and jam jar posies and they went down a treat!

We’ve also made orgami flowers, envelopes of seeds, pre-made jars of cookies, had competitions, and limited edition cards. This year I chopped off 14 inches of my hair and held two origami rose classes!

8. Team Up

Whilst I have no doubt Marian could do this without me, I certainly couldn’t do it without her! Teamwork is the dream work, and doing this together makes it even better. We bounce ideas off each other all year and test out different bakes we might serve.

However, and wherever you’re organising your event, we highly recommend finding someone to team up with. The best moments in life are the ones you share.

9. Make it Your Own

Make it your own, whether it’s a signature bake, a theme or decorations. We renowned for a crammed room of chatter, ginormous cake table and an endlessly boiling kettle.

10. Take a Moment

Take time to pause and have a conversation with guests. They’ve come to natter as well as eat! Breathe it in and absorb it all, you do this for a reason and take time to acknowledge that, even if just quietly for yourself.

---

Our 13th Macmillan Coffee Morning is at 188 Townhill Road, Dunfermline on Friday 26th September 2025, join us for another morning filled with joy and cake!

Since we began, a grand total of £5,403.19 has been raised!

A massive thank you to everyone who supports us.