A “remarkable” seven-year-old girl surprised her parents by holding a charity bake sale for the hospice who took care of the grandfather she never met.

Maisy Spencer from Elmbridge in Harlow “overwhelmed” her parents when she announced: “Mummy and Daddy, I know what I can do. I can make some cakes to sell for St Clare Hospice who looked after Grandad”.

Maisy, who attends Churchgate Primary School, held her cake sale outside her home yesterday (June 16) in memory of her grandfather, Chris Spencer, who died aged 51 in the Hastingwood palliative care home six years before Maisy was born.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Maisy’s parents, Lucy and Andy Spencer, said: “It was so funny. We were so taken aback. It really overwhelmed us and made us sad but at the same time so proud of her.

“The local community have been so supportive of her cake sale.”

When asked what prompted Maisy’s gesture, Andy said: “I think probably because we talk about my dad so much and the work the hospice does and how special the nurses are.

“Maisy is a very sensitive and caring child, one of those girls who sees the good in everything. It’s remarkable.”

Maisy is planning to donate the £149.50 she raised to the hospice on Wednesday morning. Her grandfather who she never met, Chris, died with a brain tumour in 2006. He was at the hospice for three months.

Andy and Lucy helped Maisy to bake lots of cakes to sell for her stall and St Clare provided a banner, balloons and wrist bands.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Many community members who could not make it but heard about Maisy’s charity drive for her grandfather have made requests for more cakes to be made which will boost her overall total.

Any said: “She was so eager to count the money. She said ‘Wow that’s so good. Right I need to think about what I need to do next’.

“It was a really emotional day, it kind of opened up all the old memories of Dad and of course in the local area that hospice is well known. It’s close to a lot of people’s hearts.”

Maisy is the second-eldest of five children and she enjoys dancing and singing. Andy described his daughter as having a theatrical personality and “mother hen-like” tendencies, often encouraging her little brother Teddy who has learning difficulties.