A Southampton festival held in memory of a woman who died from cancer has raised more than £22,000 for charity in the last three years.
Ashleen Bateman, 34, described as the ‘life and soul of every party’ was diagnosed with terminal cancer of unknown primary in 2021.
With the help of her husband, Dan, 34, and close friend Gareth ‘Chunk’ Nichols, she realised her lifelong dream of becoming a DJ, by creating a house music festival in her name.
Tragically, Ashleen, from West End, died just one week later, in July 2021.
Now two years on the fundraising event goes on in Ashleen’s memory. On July 29, 250 people turned up to the Miller’s Pond pub garden on Middle Road in Sholing for the event - The House That Ash Built.
The festival of house music is a celebration of Ashleen’s life and the DJs were her close friends.
The event delivered a lively afternoon of house music as the pub filled with festival goers - including special guest DJ Caruana.
Staff from Mountbatten Hampshire attended and shared information about the work the charity does for the community.
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A recorded video showing Ashleen playing her set on-screen gave way to her husband Dan playing that same set on Saturday, live in front of an emotional audience.
This year the event raised more than £6,000 for Mountbatten - but in the three years running has raised over £22,000, including for other charities such as Cancer Research UK.
Her husband Dan said: “Ashleen was always the life and soul of every party and lit up every room she walked into.
“She was an avid house music fan and dreamed of becoming a DJ. I’m so proud that we managed to make that dream come true, even though it was the last time many of her family and friends would see her. She wouldn’t want to be remembered any other way!”
“The House That Ash Built is such a fitting tribute to Ashleen” Dan added. “She just wanted to raise money to help others in need, even when she was running out of hope herself.
“Combining her love of house music, whilst raising money for charity, is the perfect legacy.”
Ashleen was in remission from breast cancer when in December 2020 she started feeling pain in her back.
She was diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary, because it was unclear where it originated, but it was not thought to be linked to her earlier diagnoses.
The cancer was in her spine and her liver, but despite surgery and aggressive chemotherapy, treatment was unsuccessful.
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