HER mum would have been proud of her.

UK soul singer Natasha Watts was the driving force behind a Basingstoke fundraising carol singing and dance concert that pulled in the pounds for a cancer charity campaign – and the memory of her mum Sandra Hudson was very much the inspiration behind the successful event.

Rising star Natasha, from Basingstoke, organised the event at Queen Mary’s Hall, Queen Mary’s College, last Sunday to help the campaign to raise £5million towards a trailblazing £18.5m cancer centre that will serve the people of north and mid-Hampshire.

Nearly 140 children from local schools and dance groups took part in the festive event which was attended by more than 200 people and raised almost £2,500 – a sum that will be doubled thanks to match funding from Greenham Common Trust, which is supporting the cancer centre campaign.

Natasha, 38, is among the dedicated volunteer fundraisers who have supported the campaign to raise funds for the cancer centre, which has been earmarked for land at North Waltham near to junction 7 of the M3.

It was Natasha’s personal experience of having to drive her mum to Guildford for cancer treatment that inspired her to support the cancer centre campaign, which will bring similar treatment closer to home for people in the catchment area that it will serve.

Natasha said: “Because of what my mum went through, in having to travel a long distance for treatment, I know how important the new cancer centre will be. I was very close to my mum, and I am supporting the cancer centre fundraising campaign in her honour.”

While her mum sadly lost her fight against cancer, Natasha knows that what she, and fellow fundraisers, is doing will really make a difference to so many cancer patients, and their families, in the future.

Grateful for the support that she received from local schools, other groups who took part in last Sunday’s concert, fellow volunteers and everyone who contributed to the raffle prizes, Natasha hopes that the carol concert will become an annual event.

Merv Rees, consultant surgeon and clinical director of surgery for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and one of the trustees of the Ark Cancer Centre Charity, said: “I am grateful to Natasha and everyone else who was involved in putting on, and supporting, this festive event.

“The efforts of Natasha and everyone who supports and contributes towards the cancer centre campaign, together with the vital match funding from Greenham Common Trust, is crucial as the charity progresses towards the £5m target.”