FAMILY and friends of a Kesgrave woman who lost her brave 15-month battle with cancer are planning to hold a music festival in her honour.Kate Moyes died on August 6, last year, the day of her 29th birthday.

FAMILY and friends of a Kesgrave woman who lost her brave 15-month battle with cancer are planning to hold a music festival in her honour.

Kate Moyes died on August 6, last year, the day of her 29th birthday.

When her illness took hold, Mrs Moyes spent her last weeks in St Elizabeth Hospice and because of the excellent care she received, all of the proceeds from Kesgrave Music Festival will go to the hospice.

The festival will take place the day before her birthday on Saturday, August 5 at the community centre fields.

Unlike neighbouring towns and villages, Kesgrave does not currently have an annual music festival.

The idea came from Debbie McCallum, landlady at the Bell Inn in Kesgrave and she hopes the festival will become a yearly fixture.

She said: “We really want to do this in a big way. There were 2,500 people at the fireworks and we are hoping for more than that.

“The first year is about making the festival successful and really establishing it.”

There will be around ten bands playing across two stages throughout the day and well into the evening, while various other forms of entertainment will be taking place.

Mrs Moyes' husband, Stuart, of Reeve Gardens, Kesgrave, is part of the committee organising the festival.

He said: “Debbie came to me two weeks after the funeral with the idea and I thought it was wonderful.

“Kate would not want a big fuss made but she would be over the moon that we were doing something for the hospice.

“She loved live music and the odd beverage on a night out so this event is the perfect way to remember such a special person.”

Mrs Moyes worked for BT in Martlesham before opting to change her vocation entirely by starting her training in radiotherapy at Suffolk College.

Despite her illness, Mrs Moyes still found the energy and time to organise her wedding.

Mr Moyes said: “The disease was in an advanced state when she was diagnosed but she never gave up hope and was an inspiration to us all, still putting other people first and ensuring that we were coping rather than worrying about the unimaginable ordeal she was going through.

“In those six weeks at the hospice her spirit was never broken and the support and care she received from the staff was second to none.

“It made us all realise the importance of having this facility and making sure that the funding is in place to sustain that level of care.”

Patsy Johnson, community fundraiser at the hospice, said the festival was a “fantastic” idea.

She continued: “Without the support of the community, the hospice would not be able to provide the service it does.”

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