Sawbo Sessions at Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall on July 25 to raise funds for charities that supported cancer victims Maddy Kelly and Dawn Gibson

Guests at a charity gig in Sawbridgeworth next month will be keeping the memory of two brave women alive.

Sawbo Sessions was launched in 2017 by Maddy Kelly after she pledged to raise funds for the charities which had supported her throughout her battle with cancer.

In 2022, she was joined by another local woman, Dawn Gibson, but sadly both passed away that year – Maddy in May and Dawn in June.

The families and friends of the women have vowed to keep their memory alive by continuing to hold the annual band night, and last year £4,500 was raised for Hummingbird Cancer Support Group in Bishop’s Stortford, Helen Rollason Cancer Charity and St Clare Hospice.

Funds are raised through ticket sales, a raffle with prizes generously donated by local businesses and sponsorship from the community.

This year’s event takes place on Friday July 25 at Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall. Tickets, priced £10, are available online via the venue’s website at smht.org.uk, with a limited number of printed tickets also available at Bell Pharmacy in Bell Street.

One of the event organisers, Cassy Waugh, said: “We’d be incredibly grateful for any donations of raffle prizes from local individuals or businesses – every contribution makes a difference. Help us support these fantastic charities and enjoy an evening of great live music and community spirit.”

Attwaters Solicitors, of Hertford, Ware and Harlow, is sponsoring the event, which will cover all the costs so every penny raised will go to the three charities.

Confirmed bands so far are: Cockburn & Ballantine, Face For Radio (Leventhorpe School sixth formers) and, for the first time, another young band, Faultline, also drawn from Leventhorpe’s talented musicians.

Cassy added they hope to have a special guest this year, with details to be revealed on Facebook and Instagram.