Get the kettle on and the cakes out - it's Macmillan Coffee Morning day.

Today is the day coffee lovers across Hampshire will be brewing up and plunging in a mammoth charity event.

Macmillan Cancer Support’s flagship fundraiser - the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning - takes place in offices, shopping centres, clubs and shops across the country.

The national charity - which provides support to cancer patients and their families - is asking everyone to crack open the ginger nuts and pop in to their local venue for a cuppa.

Last year, 3,270 coffee mornings were held in Hampshire, raising around £688,300 to help provide vital services and support for people affected by cancer and this year - the 26th year of the event -Macmillan hopes to make it biggest yet. Funds from the event will go towards providing practical, financial, emotional and medical support to people affected by cancer.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “We want to make sure no one has to face cancer alone but we can't do it without the amazing people who fundraise for us. We rely on the generosity of our supporters for more than 99% of our income and coffee morning events are a great way to have fun whilst raising vital funds to help people affected by cancer.

“If you can’t host or get along to a coffee morning, visit your local M&S or Nationwide Building Society – both are proud partners of this year’s event and staff will be baking up a storm. During September M&S will be selling a number of exclusive homeware items to raise funds for Macmillan as well as donating 10 percent from sales of selected classic cakes to support people affected by cancer.”

Macmillan works with partner organisations including Southampton General Hospital to provide support including clinical nurse specialists, information and support centres as well as help with the cost of cancer through the Hampshire Macmillan Citizens Advice Service.

Among coffee morning taking part today are at: Grand Café, Southampton The Mercure Dolphin Hotel, Southampton, with singers Bitterne Conservative Club Collectors at M&s West Quay all day, plus a coffee morning in the café M&S Hedge End All Nationwide banks Law firm Heppenstalls on 75 High Street, Lymington, Orchard Gardens Care Home in Garnier Drive, Bishopstoke, Jasper Vincent Segensworth branch on Barnes Wallis Road, Segensworth Running from 8am til 12.00 at Pitman Training, Eastgate Street, a light breakfast will be provided and community members are invited to come and share a bite to eat.

PANEL: Are you having a coffee morning? Send your pictures to picdesk@dailyecho.co.uk and include details of the event and a contact number.

PANEL: SEE TOMORROW'S DAILY ECHO FORA PICTURE SPECIAL ON THE MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING