A Watford woman is to pay tribute to the memory of her mother and raise cash for the Hospice of St Francis by hosting a charity ball.

Julie Goulding, of Cassiobury estate, is hoping to collect about £5,000 for the hospice, after staff provided care for her mother Linda in her final days.

Mrs Goulding, 39, said: “It’s coming up to mine and my childhood friend Caroline O’Connor’s 40th birthdays.

“The pair of us have been friends for a long time, we grew up together and so thought that it would be a fitting tribute to my mum to celebrate our birthdays with a fundraising charity ball.

“My mum passed away from cancer of the oesophagus in April last year. It devastated the family, we were all so close. We’d be on the phone every day and she’d regularly visit us as she only lived in Abbots Langley.”

According to Mrs Goulding, her mother, Linda Speller, was originally diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2009 and following surgery appeared to recover.

But a year later she started complaining of discomfort in her throat and it was discovered she had cancer of the oesophagus.

Mrs Speller was told the cancer was terminal, but that she could undergo three months of chemotherapy to prolong her life. Mrs Goulding, who works part time as an estate agent in Croxley Green, said: “We were told a week before Christmas in 2010 that it would be mum’s last. It was heart-breaking, she was central to all of our lives.

“Mum didn’t stay in the Hospice of St Francis long, two days in all, but the care she received from the nurses, it was unbelievable; they did so much to make her comfortable.

“When she found out she was dying, she went to visit the hospice and she really liked it. She said she felt comfortable dying there.”

The Hospice of St Francis is based in Berkhamsted, but serves people suffering with terminal illness across Kings Langley, Abbots Langley, Bedmond and Chipperfield, among others. The hospice relies upon donations and fundraising to provide care and at the end of last year representatives revealed that its day facility would close, in order to cut costs.

Mrs Goulding, said: “The ball, which will be held Saturday, March 3, is our way of helping the hospice, plus I think mum would have been proud. Raising money for the hospice is so important for it to continue. The care they provide there really does go above and beyond.

“I volunteer for the hospice by packing and selling items for their Ebay account. Anything I can do to help the hospice is my way of giving back, and I hope people will feel inspired to come to our event and raise cash for such a good cause.”

The charity ball will be held at the Watford Hilton, on Saturday, March 3.

Tickets cost £45 which includes a drink on arrival and three course meal with drinks. There will be casino tables, a raffle with a top prize of two week stay in a Florida villa for ten people, bar and a DJ providing music.

Anyone wishing to purchase tickets, donate a raffle prize or for company sponsorship email charityball2012@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.facebook.com/events/136684199766053/.