# Macmillan Cancer Support offers virtual coffee in support of fundraising event

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/09/26/macmillan-cancer-support-offers-virtual-coffee-support-fundraising-event/
- Published: 2007-09-26T19:18:56+01:00
- Author: Bryan Miller

**[Macmillan Cancer Support](http://www.macmillan.org.uk)**, the charity behind 
one of the UK’s largest fundraising events – **[The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning](http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Microsites/WBCM/WBCM.aspx)**–
is really getting into the [**Community Fundraising 2.0**](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/blogs/bryanmiller/2007/07/21/online-social-networking-community-fundraising-20)
spirit this year, with “virtual” coffees being shared through email, Facebook, and
even in Second Life.

[⌊macmillan-coffee.jpg⌉⌊macmillan-coffee.jpg⌉[

The **[email approach](https://getthecoffeein.macmillan.org.uk)** is a fun way to
spread the word about the event, enabling you to send your friend a virtual coffee
which is then drunk at an animated microsite – complete with slurping. Requests 
for small donations are made throughout, including extras if you want to send a 
virtual biscuit or muffin with the coffee. Having dispatched the virtual beverage
you then get the opportunity to share the whole virtual coffee experience through
a link on your Facebook profile.

If that’s not virtual enough for you, then on the day of the event – this Friday
28th September – you can drop-in to the charity’s new** [Second Life Macmillan cancer information centre](http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blue%20Horizon/100/173/26)**
to take part in a Second Life fundraising auction or just to throw a few Linden 
Dollars (the **[SL currency](http://secondlife.com/whatis/currency.php)**) into 
the giant coffee cups around the place. After the event Macmillan intends to continue
using the centre as a source of information and support for any Second Life users
affected by cancer, as well as offering a retail area where visitors can purchase
real life Macmillan merchandise.

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All-in-all, a great example of a charity using a mix of online channels in an innovative,
fun and engaging way to help involve more people with their event. Apparently nearly
two million people took part last year, raising over £6.7 million ($13.5 million)–
so here’s hoping all of this virtual activity pays-off in real income growth terms
after Friday.

 * **[Social networks driving sponsorship fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/09/27/social-networks-driving-sponsorship-fundraising/)**(
   27 September 2007)
 * **[An alternative approach to direct mail](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/10/05/alternative-approach-direct-mail/)**(
   5 October 2007)
 * **[Handy Facebook research for fundraisers](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/10/08/handy-facebook-research-fundraisers/)**(
   8 October 2007)