HUNDREDS of people attended the funeral of a popular young woman who campaigned for people to join the organ donor register.

There was standing room only for the service for Katherine Frances Hennessy, 23, known as Kate to loved ones, held at St John’s Church on Leigh Road in Wimborne yesterday afternoon.

Her casket was covered in flowers and the congregation were requested to wear bright colours to reflect Kate’s colourful personality.

Double lung transplant recipient, Kate, died in hospital on Friday, September 16 following a life-long battle with the condition, Cystic Fibrosis.

Tributes were read on behalf of Kate’s parents, Gail and Mike, by friend Lloyd Couzins, as well as Kate’s partner, Ant, and her brother, James.

On behalf of his parents, James said: “We will miss our gorgeous daughter beyond belief. Although we have lived in the knowledge that her time on this earth was limited, in the end, it all seemed to come so suddenly.

“The gap she leaves is a tribute to the force that Kate was and above all, we will remember her laughter, love, tremendous energy and zest for life.

“Rest in peace now, our little darling.”

Songs played during the service included You Hear Me by Jimmy Eat World, Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles, One Day Like This by Elbow and Never Let Me Go by Florence and the Machine.

Musician, Will McNichol, played the tunes Scrapbook and In My Life by The Beatles on the guitar. Will had previously performed at Hen Fest, the event set up by Kate’s mum Gail to raise awareness of the Organ Donor Register and collect donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The event had expanded from a small gathering in the garden of the family home to a two-day festival celebration filled with almost 500 people enjoying live music, art, crafts, food and drink. It was also a chance for Kate to talk to those who attended Hen Fest about how she had been given a second chance at life, having received a double lung transplant.

Kate had gone on to help at Beaucroft School, which works with children and young people with specialist needs, act as a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding and travel the world with family and friends.

Kate’s friends, Han Marshall, Jess Orchard, Emily Mathews, Kim McNaughton and Laura Thomas, also took turns to read a poem entitled Child of the Pure Unclouded Brow by Lewis Carroll in tribute to Kate’s love of Alice in Wonderland.

The funeral service was followed by committal at Poole and Wimborne Burial Ground attended by her close family and friends.

An evening celebration of Kate’s life, allowing people to share their memories of Kate, was due to be held at Honeybrook Farm in Wimborne last night, which was set to be full to capacity.

Donations were made by those attending to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.