IT’S hard work and takes months of planning, but organisers of the Kesgrave Music Festival know they and the fans who turn out every year are making a real difference to people’s lives when they need it most.

IT’S hard work and takes months of planning, but organisers of the Kesgrave Music Festival know they and the fans who turn out every year are making a real difference to people’s lives when they need it most.

Now in its fifth year, the event is in memory of Kate Moyes who died of cancer on August 6, 2005, the day of her 29th birthday.

She worked for BT at Martlesham for many years before starting to train in radiotherapy at Suffolk College. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and spent her last weeks at St Elizabeth Hospice.

“Kate was the most inspirational person I’ve ever met. There’s a line in a song about it’s not the years on a gravestone that’s important but the dash in-between, that’s how long you’ve made an impression on people and that young lady made a huge impression on me,” said friend and landlady of The Bell Inn, Kesgrave, Debbie McCallum who came up with the idea of the festival.

“The hospice does fantastic work and I can’t think of a more comforting place for a family to spend such precious time with relatives.”

Gates for the event, at the community centre and fields, open from 11.45am tomorrow and there is a fantastic line-up of talent on the main stage and in the live lounge including The Glamtastics, Underline The Sky and Smokin’ Hogs.

“The weather’s not looking so great, but the year before last we had the worst weather possible and still raised a huge amount of money and people stayed and supported us.

“It takes more money to stage every year. We’re all struggling and I can’t thank people and businesses enough for their generosity.”

The Kate Moyes Memorial Fund currently stands at �60,349.79 and benefits the continuing work of St Elizabeth Hospice which cares for patients in East Suffolk who have a life-limiting illness.