Regional cleaning company Monthind Clean has adopted Macmillan Cancer Support as its chosen charity for the next 12 months.

Monthind, based at Copford, near Colchester, has raised thousands of pounds for various charities since its launch in the 1970s but has now decided to combine the fund-raising efforts of its near-1,000 workforce across East Anglia to support a single good cause.

Operations director Simon Biggs said: “As a company it is part of our ethos to fundraise for local charities and support our staff in their individual charity endeavours.

“We felt it was time for a more cohesive approach that could involve everyone who works for us, and in deciding who would benefit most from our collective efforts, it had to be an organisation that every member of our staff could relate.

“Although it’s very sad to say, it seems everybody has been touched by the effects of cancer, whether directly or indirectly.”

Amy Macgrefor, Essex fundraising manager for Macmillan, said: “We at Macmillan are over the moon that Monthind Clean have chosen to support Macmillan Cancer Support.

“As a company, they have set themselves a target to raise £5,000 to help provide Macmillan grants to people who really need it.

“Macmillan grants help people with cancer to meet costs that can arise from the condition and its treatment like heating bills or costs of trips to and from the hospital. The average grant given out last year was £298. Having a company like Monthind Clean supporting the charity will make a huge difference to people living and affected by cancer.”

Although the year of support for Macmillan officially started on October 1, Monthind staff made a cracking start with money raised from coffee and cake meetings held at the company’s Colchester and Norwich offices, and at a management meeting held in Ipswich, to coincided with Macmillan’s own “Biggest Ever Coffee Morning” at the end of September.

“We are delighted to have kicked off our fundraising efforts for Macmillan as part of the coffee morning challenge and have already raised just over £125 towards our £5,000 target for 2014-15,” Mr Biggs said.