GALLERY Rain fell but emotions ran high at a festival in loving memory of a Kesgrave woman who died of cancer.

Simon Tomlinson

RAIN fell but emotions ran high at a festival in loving memory of a Kesgrave woman who died of cancer.

Despite the poor weather, more than 2,000 people supported the Kesgrave Music Festival on Saturday in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice, where Kate Moyes passed away in 2005.

Now in its third year, the event offered a wide variety of bands, as well as a funfair, golf, face painters and story tellers.

But the day ended with a poignant moment when Kate's father played a video montage of her life along to the Snow Patrol song Chasing Cars.

One of the organisers, Debbie McCallum, said: “It got a standing ovation. People realised why we held the festival.

“They came and the great thing was that they stayed and huddled under their tents and gazebos.

“Considering the weather, it was a great day. People complimented on how the stage looked and the effort we had put in.”

Last year, the event, which was held on the Kesgrave Community Centre fields, generated more than £18,500 for the hospice in Foxhall Road, Ipswich.

Although the weather was against them this year, Mrs McCallum still hopes it will have raised thousands for the charity, which looks after terminally ill patients.

The £14,500 it cost to run the festival has already been paid for from sponsorship and fundraising events held throughout the year, so every penny from ticket sales will go to the charity.

Mrs McCallum, whose father died from cancer, said: “We all know someone who has suffered at the hands of a terminal illness.

“I would like to thank all the people that helped. It has been a lot of hard work, but the community had a great day.”

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