Welcome to the first Supporter Update for 2017. Apologies for it taking until the end of March…where is the year going? So much has happened already…read on to find out a snippet of what’s been going on so far. As always, this is your newsletter so if you have any comments or feedback please do get in touch. With best wishes, Kaeti. P.S. Links for events etc are in each article.

Did you know four in five people with cancer can be £570 a month worse off as a result o their diagnosis? We want to make sure that everyone gets the support they need to cope with the financial impact of cancer. Join our campaign to make money one less worry, and

we’ll let you know how you can help. We have a host of challenge events throughout the year for people to join and raise money for Macmillan. Perhaps you could get a team together to take part in one of them?

Longest Day Golf Challenge Simply club together a team of up to four players and then get set for your challenge on 20 June (or any day around this). You’ll need all your strength, (super) powers and drive to overcome 72 holes, 300 shots and a 20 mile walk all in one day!!

Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge, 1-2 July 2017: Take on the magical Cotswold Way with 2000 other challengers and walk, jog or run through areas of outstanding natural beauty and picturesque villages. The 100km route sets out from the heart of Bath taking in panoramic views over the Severn Valley and the Black Mountains in Wales. The finish line lies in historic Cheltenham.

Jurassic Coast Mighty Hike, 8th July 2017: This challenging trek journeys along the tough yet magnificent Jurassic Coast; England's first natural World Heritage Site. It's a demanding hike with lots of climbs, testing your legs and stamina!

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England & Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604)

Cotswold Way Mighty Hike, 22nd July 2017: This beautiful hiking marathon treks along the stunning Cotswold Way, past picturesque villages, stately homes and the rolling hills of one of England's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Ride London-Surrey 100 Mile, 30th July 2017: Inspired by London's 2012 Olympic road race, the 100 mile RideLondon–Surrey route takes you past iconic landmarks, up renowned climbs on fully closed roads. This is a very popular event and spaces fill quickly. Great for a Team entry, or why not register to ride with Team Macmillan? More details are found on the link.

Your Walk / Your Cycle What better way to kick off the new year than a walk or cycle with friends family or colleagues? Don’t fancy any of the organised events on our website then why not organise your own?

We have a number of volunteer opportunities in the local area. We understand you may have a greater or lesser amount of time available to give so we hopefully have opportunities to suit your needs. If you can’t see anything to suit but you would like to give some time, either individually or as a group, please do get in touch. Below are just a few of the opportunities available, click on the link for more information:

Bath Tree of Hope Event Panning Volunteer Buddy Volunteer – Bath and West Wilts

Buddy Volunteer – Weston super Mare Buddy Volunteer – North Somerset

Opportunites to look out for in the future: Groups and Association Research volunteer Action Team Member (ad hoc volunteering team).

March sees us welcome one of our biggest challenge events of the year for the region; the Bath Half Marathon. On 12 March we welcomed approx. 300 runners to Team Macmillan and were, as usual, blown away by the commitment and inspiring stories which we heard on the day. Thank you to everyone who ran, supported and volunteered on the day. You’re all super stars!

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England & Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604)

Myself and Steve Goodrick (Fundraising Manager for Wiltshire) attended the Bath Expo at the Bath Assembly Rooms on 12 March. While not strictly fundraising we hope it will have a positive impact on our fundraising as it meant we were able to network with many companies and organisations from around the area. Thank you to the Bath Expo for allowing us to exhibit for free.

Are you interested in fundraising for us but are after some inspiration? Then why not check out our Ideas of the Month? ... What can we inspire you to do in 2017? Every month we give you some easy to use ideas to

support Macmillan. To find the Ideas of the Month click here. Below are the April ideas to give you a flavour of what we offer….

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England & Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604)

There are many ways we can support you when fundraising or talking to people affected by cancer in your local community….

The Source Sometimes it's hard to know what to say, or how to help when a friend or family member has cancer. The Source is a collection of simple, practical tips from people who've been there. Because no one should face cancer alone

be.Mac There is a large selection of booklets, leaflets and flyers, on be.macmillan.org.uk Just visit the site and register. You can also download and print off awareness posters to display in your office or in the local community.

Macmillan at Work Sign up to Macmillan at Work to receive a free toolkit and access to expert training, resources and advice to help you support staff affected by cancer. If you are an employer, you're likely to face managing employees affected by cancer in the workplace. Managers and colleagues might need supporting too. Whatever your needs, we’ve got an option for you. Sign up today.

Information & Support If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer, you’re not alone. Find out what to expect, get information, practical advice and support, hear from experts and read about other people’s experiences. Just follow the link on the image. If you have questions about cancer, call us on our free phoneline – 0808 808 00 00.

If there are any other ways in which I can support you please do not hesitate to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. With best wishes

Kaeti Morrison

Fundraising Manager Bath and North Somerset Tel: 07801 307063 Email: kmorrison@macmillan.org.uk Twitter: @macmillanavon Facebook: Macmillan South West