Thropton resident holds 25th annual Macmillan Coffee Morning in memory of beloved uncle

Vikki Ewen, 56, was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community of Coquetdale in June 2022 and always experiences mixed emotions when she holds her annual well attended Macmillan Coffee Morning in memory of beloved Uncle David, who was able to view the sea from his own home in his final days living with lung cancer thanks to Macmillan.

Vikki said: “Get togethers are precious and to do this for a cancer charity like Macmillan, that people depend on, is always a good feeling. But we held our first one in 1998 following the death of my husband’s uncle, David who, like the rest of my husband’s family, hail from the Orkney Islands and who we all loved dearly, he was an amazing man.

“He was very active and spent over 30 years in the merchant navy. The first symptom he experienced was a persistent cough despite not having smoked for years. He was diagnosed in 1994 aged 56 and despite having a lung removed dealt with the disease the same way he dealt with life, in good grace, solidity and humour.

“It was the first time I’d heard of Macmillan, we had them recommended to us by the district nurses on the Orkney Islands, and because of the specialist care in the home and advice we received, we were able to bring him home from the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall (in the Orkneys) and he was able to spend his final days looking at the sea, something he loved and must have been a great comfort in those circumstances.”

Vikki has always made sure the coffee mornings happened, even when living in a variety of international locations including Kazakhstan, Brussels and Geneva due to her husband’s commitments as an executive with Proctor and Gamble.

She continued: “We’ve settled in Thropton after 10 years of travelling, we love it here and it always feels good to get the community together in such a rural area to relax and have a natter.”

Residents and visitors from all over Coquetdale came to the Thropton War Memorial Hall, donated for free for the cause by the hall committee.

Vikki’s team of 12 volunteers, including Scouts Max Lowrie and Will from The King Edward VI School in Morpeth, worked hard to make the event a success. Many were from the Coquetdale Lunch Club, established by Vikki in 2017 to support the most vulnerable and isolated members of the community.

Liz Airey, relationship fundraising manager in the North East for Macmillan, said: “What an amazing contribution Vikki has made maintaining a quarter century of Macmillan Coffee Mornings no matter where she was in the world.

“Since settling in Thropton there is no doubt her contribution to the local community has been instrumental in ensuring the community’s more vulnerable people have some additional support. The funds raised at these events are invaluable to ensure that Macmillan’s vital support services can continue to help people living with cancer.”

For information, support or just someone to talk to, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk