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On Saturday, April 19th, 2025, we’re hosting a mini festival to support Macmillan Cancer Support and The Compassionate Friends. Join us at The Gaiety Bar in Southsea from 4–11 pm for a day of live music from local talents, including Fables, and a DJ to keep the dance floor lively.

There will be a glitter station, a rock 'n' roll raffle, and many more exciting activities to be announced. Expect a festival atmosphere filled with music, fun, sparkle, and celebration in echoes of Ellie Rose Howorth.

If you can’t make it to the event but still want to support the cause, please consider making a donation in loving memory of Ellie.

Ellie's Story

Who was Ellie?

Ellie, a smart and very determined young woman, vivacious, with a fantastic sense of fun and adventure. Loyal and with a love of socialising, friends and family were important. She especially liked going for bottomless brunches and cocktails. Her earliest passion was for cars, after passing her test at 17 many hours were spent planning her next vehicle or looking at personalised number plates. Ambitious, wanting to succeed and always determined to reach for the stars one of her many goals in life was to own her ultimate dream car, an Orange coloured Lamborghini Murcielago, just one of them.

At the beginning of 2020, Ellie suffered a shock diagnosis of Cancer. The initial treatment was thought to be successful but, after subsequent tests found that this was not the case, the cancer returned. For the next 22 months, she had to balance COVID tests, hospital visits, cancer treatment, studying for and sitting her accountancy exams, and working from home, so as a result there were many ups and downs.

During this time, due to the Covid restrictions in place, Ellie had to carry the burden of the chemotherapy, radiotherapy appointments, hospital stays and additional procedures on her own, making what was already an extremely difficult time for the usually resilient Ellie, even more, stressful and lonely for her.

The availability and support of the Macmillan nurses during this whole period of isolation and treatments were invaluable to Ellie. They offered comfort through a dedicated nurse contact, introduced her to others going through the same as her, advised her on many aspects of her cancer journey and much more, because of this she was forever grateful to them.

Sadly in October 2021 when the world was opening up again after Covid, Ellie, recovering from yet more treatment, succumbed to sepsis at the age of only 26.

This year would have been Ellie’s 30th birthday and, as a tribute, her friends and family would like to raise funds in aid of the two charities that helped both Ellie and subsequently her parents, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Compassionate Friends. Macmillan Cancer Support services were invaluable to Ellie and are there for everyone going through the trauma of cancer.

The Compassionate Friends is an organisation run by bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents, offering support, friendship and a place to speak to other families who find themselves with the devastating loss of their daughter, son, sister, brother, granddaughter or grandson.