Rye mum’s charity head shave

Mandy Botting, from Rye, organised the sale as part of her bid to raise over £2,500 for the charity.

Mandy’s friend Tina Thomson has cancer so the charity is one close to Mandy’s heart. The two of them together with Mandy’s daughter Anneliese and Tina’s sister Gillian took part in the Hastings Race for life event last Sunday and now Mandy has bravely offered to do a “Jessie J” style head shave if she reaches her target.

The head shaving will form the climax to Beckley School’s summer fete on July 6. Donations can be made via the school or via https://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/tinas-troupe . Local store Jempsons have contributed to the fund as have Mandy’s colleagues at Hastings Borough council.

Mandy said: ‘I’m really not worried about shaving my hair. People like Tina don’t have a choice but to lose their hair when they go through cancer treatments, I’m doing it to raise awareness of the work that Cancer Research UK do and to raise as much money as possible to help find new drugs that will hopefully one day work towards a cure for cancer.

Mandy will be donating her hair to The Little Princess Charity, who are a charity who take donations of hair to make them into wigs for children who lose their hair through cancer.

The shave will take place at Beckley School Fete, near Rye and once done, Mandy will be releasing balloons in memory of loved ones in the form of a balloon race, which can be bought in advance from the school office or on the day of the fete. Mandy and the rest of the Tina’s Troupe hope to sell around 500 balloons to really make it a spectacular end to the day.