Two inspirational Oxford women have been invited to a special event aimed at recognising the achievements of women.

Sister Frances Dominica, the founder of pioneering East Oxford children's hospice Helen and Douglas House, and Susan Foster, who has been behind a fundraising campaign at the Watermill Theatre, near Newbury, are among 400 women invited to attend the 2008 Women of the Year awards lunch at the Guildhall, London, on Monday.

Four hundred women were picked as women of the year by a council of 40 women, including Joan Armatrading, Maureen Lipman and Virginia Wade.

Last year, Sister Frances was one of four women receiving an award.

She said: "I am looking forward to the event very much and to meeting some very interesting people and perhaps having a little bit more time than last year to meet people.

"It is definitely an honour to be invited but the good thing is that it raises the profile of what everybody is doing.

"For me, the women who come to us, the mothers of the young people who come to Helen and Douglas House, they are the real heroes."

Helen and Douglas House celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and Sister Frances was presented the 2007 award in recognition of her work at the hospice in Magdalen Road.

When it opened in 1982, it was the world's first children's respite hospice, and has cared for thousands of children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

Susan Foster, who lives in Oxford, is currently the head of individual giving for the Tate galleries.

She won numerous awards for her fundraising efforts while she was working as development director at the Watermill.

Women of the Year president Joan Armatrading said: "Each and every woman who attends the Women of the Year lunch does so because of their considerable achievements.

"Each year, we are introduced to more and more outstanding women and these women often overlook their own enormous value.

"It is my honour and pleasure to ensure they are recognised and celebrated through this event for their enviable contribution to society."

Those invited to the lunch include people from professions ranging from the arts to the financial world, to medicine, to politics and to agriculture.

Keynote speaker at the event will be author and women's rights campaigner Eve Ensler.