Macmillan Cake Sale raises over £3,000!

The annual Macmillan Cake Sale held on Thursday 24 September 2026 has officially broken last year’s record. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of staff, patients, and visitors, this year’s event has already raised over £3,000, beating the previous record of £2,500.

To top off an already remarkable day, Hayley Breed, Matron for Learning Disability and Autism, was named Fundraiser of the Year at the Stars of Herts staff awards on the very same day she led the cake sale to its record-breaking success.

West Herts Hospitals Charity CEO Alison Rosen said:

“We are so proud of Hayley for receiving the Fundraiser of the Year award at the Stars of Herts awards. It is a well-deserved recognition of her passion and commitment to supporting our charity and local health services. Raising over £3,000 in a single day is an outstanding achievement, and we are immensely grateful to Hayley, our wonderful supporters, and everyone who helped make the cake sale such a fantastic success.”

With donations still coming in, the final fundraising total is expected to rise even higher. You can still support the MacMillan cake sale by entering the ongoing raffle to win a Watford FC football shirt signed by all the players! Tickets are just £1 each, and the deadline to enter is 31 October. To buy your tickets, please contact Hayley Breed at hayleybreed@nhs.net.

All funds raised will directly support Macmillan Cancer Support, the Watford Macmillan Cancer Centre, and West Herts Hospitals Charity, ensuring vital care and resources remain available for those who need them most.

The event featured two busy stalls, one in the Dining Hall, run by Hayley and her team of volunteers, and another outside the main entrance at Watford General, managed by Laura Bailey, Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Manager, alongside volunteers. Both stalls offered a vast spread of home-baked goods, with special thanks to adult social care provider Allerton for generously supplying delicious cakes and extra volunteer support on the day.

The event also welcomed a few very special visitors, including Watford FC Women’s midfielder and West Herts Hospitals Charity ambassador Anna Filbey, who even got behind the table to help serve customers, Watford FC mascot Harry the Hornet, and local police officers who popped in to show their support. A massive thank you goes out to all the amazing volunteers who gave up their time to help make the day run so smoothly.

Hayley Breed shared her gratitude:

“We are absolutely delighted to announce that we have raised a staggering £3,000, with donations still coming in! We could not have achieved this without the incredible generosity of everyone who baked, bought, and donated.

A very special shout-out goes to Jane Kinley from Outpatients, who supported the sale by providing hundreds of baked goods in memory of her father, who sadly passed away from cancer. Jane’s generosity, along with the support of everyone who contributed and joined us, has made a tremendous difference. Thank you all for helping us achieve such a fantastic result!”

Special Thanks

Thank you to all the dedicated teams and individuals across the Trust who supported this year’s event, including:

Grant Proudfoot (Radiographic Department Assistant), Liz Sumner (Macmillan Deputy Palliative Care Lead Nurse), Michelle Sorley (Associate Director of Nursing for Cancer) & teams, Laura Bailey (Macmillan Cancer Information & Support Manager) and her team of wonderful volunteers, and Jane Kinley (Healthcare Assistant). Thank you to everyone else who contributed or helped behind the scenes, your support made a real difference!

How to donate and enter the raffle

If you missed the event, would like to purchase £1 raffle tickets for the player-signed Watford FC shirt before the 31 October deadline, or wish to help increase the final total, donations are still being accepted. Please contact Hayley Breed at hayleybreed@nhs.net or reach out to the West Herts Hospitals Charity team to contribute.