COMMUNITIES came together over coffee and cake on Friday with one common theme – raising money for Macmillan Cancer Care.

The Worlds Largest Coffee Morning is an annual event that always creates a stir, and this year was no exception.

All the money raised goes towards improving the lives of those living with cancer.

Just £1 ensures one more person can receive leaflets with information about their cancer and where they can get support.

£22 funds a Macmillan family support worker for an hour, helping families who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis, £544 will help run a typical large Macmillan information and support centre and £105,333 can fund a new rehabilitation support team for a year.

Hundreds of people across North Somerset did their bit.

In Portishead there were plenty of places to enjoy a cuppa as schools and businesses took time out of their usual day for the cause.

Pupils from Portishead Primary provided a mouth-watering selection of baked or bought cakes that were enjoyed by them, their parents, grandparents and carers in the packed school hall. There were also some stalls and a raffle, which combined helped raise a total of £718.

Louise Strachan said: "The pupils enjoyed their cakes and juice in their classrooms, while the parents had theirs in the hall.

"This is the third Macmillan coffee morning the school has taken part in and it went very well."

Landlords Mark and Sue Hazelton allowed a coffee morning in the conservatory of The Poacher in Portishead's high street, and donated all the coffee.

Emma Mandeville, who lives in Portishead, only decided to hold the event three weeks ago with friends, but was thrilled with the £399 raised.

She said: "I am going to put in £1 to make the final total £400 and am delighted at how it went.

"Mark and Sue have been wonderful donating the coffee and letting us have the room. ."

Emma is a huge supporter of cancer charities and has taken part in the Race for Life for the past few years.

She said: "A very close friend of mine was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year, and is an inspiration to me. These charities are close to my heart.

"They really make people's last few days as bearable as they can."

In Failand, the village hall had a steady flow of villagers more than happy to try out a few of the delicious cakes on offer.

Heart FM's breakfast presenter Paulina, who lives in North Somerset, also popped in for a quick cup of coffee after her daily show with Bush and Troy.

It was organised by a group of friends living in Failand and Long Ashton, who came together, to make a difference.

They expect to have raised between £350 and £400, but are still collecting donations.

In Congresbury, villagers supported three coffee mornings and gave generously to raffles and cake sales.

The long-standing event, in Kings fish and chip shop in Congresbury, raised £230 and Mary Short, chairman of Congresbury millennium green trustees, gave out apples from the orchard.

Extra effort by Cassie and Brian Veale in Iwood Cottage, Wrington Lane, reaped its reward as they raised a staggering £580.

Their coffee morning in a delightful courtyard and garden proved an attraction, and they organised an evening event of tapas and sangria, which proved a winner.

For the first time, the builders Connaught, held a coffee morning in Congresbury War Memorial Hall, principally as a thank you to tenants in the village where work has been carried out recently, and raised £65.

Nailsea Country Market was filled with shoppers embracing British Food Fortnight and doing their bit for Macmillan.

Many filled their baskets before enjoying a cup of coffee and cake, which raised £120.