Talented young singer-songwriter holds virtual charity gig after cancellation of popular Heysham music festival

A talented young singer-songwriter from Morecambe performed a special online concert in aid of CancerCare following the cancellation of a popular music festival.
By Gayle Rouncivell
Published 28th May 2020, 12:30 BST

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Carlie Mai Bragg.Carlie Mai Bragg.
Carlie Mai Bragg.

Thousands of people usually converge on Heysham Cricket Club on May Bank Holiday weekend for AlannaFest, a special annual event to celebrate the life of Alanna Duffy, a much-loved young mum from Morecambe who had leukaemia.

The event also raises thousands of pounds for CancerCare which provides free professional therapy and support for people affected by cancer and bereavement.

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Sadly this year’s festival had to be cancelled due to Coronavirus, however, 17-year-old Carlie Mai Bragg, who was due to be performing onstage, ensured her own set went ahead with a virtual gig on Facebook.

Carlie Mai said: “The Duffy family are very close to me and make sure I perform every year, so I thought I could give something back and put on the virtual performance and try and raise as much money as I could for CancerCare. I also love to perform so being able to do this online and raise money for a wonderful charity was a win-win situation really!”

Carlie Mai, who began writing music at the age of 11 and is studying music at Kendal College, played for two hours, performing a mix of her own original material and covers from the likes of Ed Sheeran, The Beatles and Tracy Chapman.

“Facebook is a great platform for musicians and I was able to set up my speaker and microphone and go live from my music page. I was also able to see who was watching and their comments, so although it was all done online, I was still able to interact with the listeners and see what they wanted to hear!” she added.

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Carlie Mai got a fantastic response from listeners and raised a £145 for CancerCare. It also allowed her fans to hear new songs from her upcoming EP which she plans to release next year when the situation allows.

CancerCare fundraising officer Anna Webster said: “AlannaFest is usually one of the highlights of our year. It is wonderful to see the community coming together and it also raises valuable funds for the charity.

"We were delighted to see Carlie Mai’s innovative use of social media to ensure that ‘the show went on’ and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her!”

To donate, go online here

Related topics:CancerCareMorecambeFacebookHeysham