RETAIL giant M&S hosted a ’world’s biggest coffee morning’ event last Friday when store bosses from across the south took part in a 160-mile bike ride to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The bike ride was jointly organised by Alton store manager James Gamble, who together with colleagues from stores in Slough, Waterlooville and Windsor, as well as head of region Gordon Scott and store performance planner Tom Herriven, planned to visit 24 M&S stores in the southern region.

So far, M&S Alton has raised more than £400 for Macmillan by hosting a fun-filled activity day.

Staff wore fancy dress, hosted an in-store treasure hunt and cycled 108 miles on a static bike outside the store – the equivalent of cycling from M&S Alton to M&S head office and back.

Since M&S started supporting World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in 2010, it has raised over £6 million for Macmillan Cancer Support. The money raised by M&S helps to support people affected by cancer as well as fund vital posts in local communities, right across the UK. Last year, 26 Macmillan professional posts were funded.

Mr Gamble said: “The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning provides the perfect excuse to gather friends and family for a catch-up over a slice of cake and a hot drink, safe in the knowledge that you’ll be making a huge difference to millions of lives.”

He added: “I decided to organise the 160-mile bike ride event, alongside Slough store manager James Chapman as cycling is a huge passion of ours and, feeling motivated by the Rio Olympics, we thought this was an excellent way to fundraise for such a worthy cause.”

The team started the bike ride at the M&S’s Slough store in the town’s Bath Road and completed the race at M&S Winchester.

This year’s coffee morning event coincided with the revelation that two- and-a-half million people are living with cancer in the UK today and that number that is expected to rise to four million by 2030.