Molly's festival brought comfort and closure - dad

Molly McLaren was murdered in 2017

The father of a young woman from Kent who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend has spoken about the "escape" an annual tribute festival brought to the family.

The final MollyFest, to remember 23-year-old Molly McLaren who was stabbed in Chatham in 2017, was held at Old Gravesendians Rugby Football Club in Gravesend on 25 May.

The Molly McLaren Foundation is also being closed, her father Doug McLaren said.

"It's hard to say whether it's brought closure, or comfort, or distraction. I don't know which of those is true, but it's been fun," he said.

'Diversion'

Mr McLaren explained that he and his wife experienced a “bitter-sweet” feeling ahead of the final event.

"It was like an escape," he said. "It was something that we could then do to overcome our losses and give back to the community."

He added that he thought the charity had "run its course".

"I don't know whether it was just something to do or a diversion or whatever, but we set up the charity with good intentions and we think we've fulfilled our obligation."

Mr McLaren said there was a “bitter-sweet” feeling ahead of the final event

The Molly McLaren Foundation was set up by friends and family to provide advice and funding for those with eating disorders.

The foundation partnered with mental health charity Rewrite Your Story to sponsor more than 30 children so they could receive counselling.

Ms McLaren, from Cobham, who struggled with bulimia, had been writing a blog about her experiences to help others before she was killed.

Joshua Stimpson, who was 26 at the time of his conviction, admitted manslaughter but denied murder before his trial in 2018.

He was sentenced to a minimum of 26 years in prison.