Leeds grandmother Rosalind Bickler has been honoured by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Mrs Bickler, 71, picked up the Richard Hambro award in recognition of her leadership skills, after setting up an annual coffee morning group in Leeds in 1997. It has raised £180,000 for Macmillan over the past 14 years - more than any other such group in the UK.

The Macmillan coffee mornings - now a national phenomenon - are part of the charity's annual World's Biggest Coffee Morning fundraising initiative. People across Britain are asked to hold a coffee morning, where donations on the day are made to Macmillan.

Mrs Bickler tells People: "Macmillan had advertised for someone to hold a coffee morning. After seeing the exceptional support they gave to a dying relative, I decided to give something back and started the coffee morning in my house."

She says: "We have 1,000 people on our database who get invited to the mornings. Although not everyone comes, people still donate generously.

"Raising money for Macmillan is such a wonderful cause. So much support is needed when cancer hits. I am humbled and honoured to get the award."