Tollesbury girl cuts hair for cancer and diabetes charities

Tollesbury Primary School pupil Cherry O’Donnell, aged eight, decided she wanted to grow her hair after seeing some of her friends donating theirs.

After revealing her plan to her mum, she spent months growing it out before chopping it off and raising more than £500.

The money will be split between the Little Princess Trust and Diabetes UK in honour of her grandmother.

Cherry O'Donnell before her haircut

Mum Lauren, 32, from Tollesbury, said her daughter always had it in her mind to donate her hair.

“She heard about other children doing it,” she said.

“At one point, her hair got to a stage where it just would not grow but she managed to get it longer.

“She said she wanted to help the children who lost their hair because they were poorly, and wanted to make them feel better.

“We lost my mum to diabetes in September, and she said she wanted to help people like her grandma before they got too poorly.

“A lovely lady called Roxine Crisp, a mobile hairdresser from Tiptree, came down and we cut her hair at the front of our house so her friends could watch.

Big chop: Cherry O’Donnell after her charity haircut

“The minimum donation to the trust is 17cm, but she managed to send 32cm and she was very impressed with that.

“She has said to me she is going to donate her hair every three years. She adamant about doing it again.”

The Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cherrysfundraiser.