A NURSERY worker whose mother died of cancer is being joined by colleagues to raise awareness of the work of St Helena Hospice.

Kelsey Davies, 23, a manager at the Old Schoolhouse Kindergarten, in London Road, Stanway, is backing the hospice’s awareness day on October 7.

Children and staff will be dressing in green in the week leading up to the event, running a cake sale and a colouring competition and filling donation sacks with unwanted goods.

The hospice is inviting schools, nurseries, organisations and businesses to join them.

Miss Davies experienced the care and support the hospice gives patients and their families when her mother, Nicola, was taken ill with with acute myeloid leukaemia three years ago.

She died in January this year, aged 47.

The hospice in Barncroft Close, High Woods, Colcheser, has continued to support Kelsey’s dad Mark with counselling over the phone.

Miss Davies, from Stanway, said: “Mum visited the Colchester day centre every Wednesday she could make.

“She was unsure at first but then after her visit she loved going there. She made a lot of friends and even got invited to a patient’s wedding. I think it’s great the Old Schoolhouse is getting behind St Helena Hospice’s awareness day.”

To join in, call the hospice fundraising office on 01206 791740