Dean of York climbs new heights for charity event

Chris Taylor

2011-09-01 3:19 PM

The Dean of York reached dizzying heights as he scaled the York Minster in pursuit of charitable caffeine fix.

The Very Rev Keith Jones’ public stunt was in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support, a charity that will celebrate the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning at the end of September.

At the top of the historic 31-metre structure, the Dean was treated to coffee and cake, but sadly had to leave his coffee machine at home in favour of a somewhat more appropriate Thermos.

Speaking of his contribution, the Dean told YorkPress.co.uk: “Macmillan Cancer Support is a wonderful organisation that gives professional care in a humane and personal way. It gets it right.

“Macmillan is well represented in York and celebrating this in such a significant place is right. We can look down on the world here and there are lots of people in the world that need help.”

Up and down the country thousands of people are organising their own mornings in a bid to raise upwards of £240,000 for the charity. This year McMillan celebrates its 100th birthday and hopes to recruit around 1,200 coffee hosts.

“This is a fantastic event for everyone to get involved in because it’s so simple,” said Macmillan’s fund-raising manager in York, Charlotte Stern.

She additionally told the Yorkshire Post that the charity is “really grateful to everyone that has already signed up” and hopes that even more local businesses, schools, individuals or even community groups will get involved come September 30th.