The friends of a “bubbly” Bristol mum hope to keep her memory alive by helping parents send their children to end-of-school proms in style.

Jan Capel, 37, from Alison Avenue, Brislington, is appealing for volunteers to help her set up a local parent support group for Knowle West and the surrounding area.

She is working alongside friends of Donna Mitchell, a 26-year-old who was tragically killed in a car crash in Bedminster last Sunday, and the group hopes the project will be a fitting tribute to her memory.

She said: “I wanted to set something in place to give parents some signposting, advice and practical support.

“There is a parentline group in the area but they have lost their funding so there will be nothing left at the end of the month.

“Hopefully local parents who have a bit of time and little bit of energy will be able to get involved and offer support to each other.”

The first project for the group is helping parents and children with the costs of the end-of-school proms.

Ms Capel said: “My 15-year-old daughter’s school has a prom and it’s a big ritual for them, but the costs of the dresses and the hair and all the bits that go with it can run into hundreds of pounds.

“Parents can’t afford it, especially at the moment when people are losing their jobs, but they don’t want to exclude their children from this ritual.”

The group is hoping that if parents get involved then donations of dresses, accessories and hair and make-up skills can help send their children to the prom in style.

“We thought people could rent dresses and then any extra money can go towards sending them off in a limo and that sort of thing. It should all be ploughed back into the project and we can also support Donna’s family.

“I didn’t ever get to meet Donna but many of her friends are working on this project and say this is the kind of thing that would be right up her street.

“She was such a glamorous, fun-loving mum. If we made it a yearly project it would be a continuing memorial to such an energetic and well-loved person and bring something positive out of this tragedy.”

Anyone who can help with donations of time or clothes, or help with the parental support group can contact Ms Capel on jancapel@aol.com or on 0779 0822425.

Friends of Donna Mitchell have paid their own tributes at the Lasting Tribute website.