Wigan runner's lockdown hair fund-raiser for dodgeball team

This weekend, though, he will probably find himself getting into the barber’s chair as part of the fund-raising campaign to get his Wigan Dodgeball Warriors junior side to the Egyptian capital city of Cairo in 2021 for the pinnacle of the sport.

Supporters are being offered four options for Matthew: having his head completely shaved, having the clippers only put through half of his mop, being given a mohican-style hairdo or leaving it as it is now.

Matthew intended to get his hair cut when lockdown finished but then realised he could use his lengthening curly tresses to contribute to the £18,000 he needs to raise to get his dodgeball players, aged between 10 and 15, to the tournament which had to be postponed from this summer due to the global pandemic.

Matthew, 36, said: “I was originally going to have my hair cut after lockdown finished but we’re now at the stage where I need to get something done.

“I’ve given people a number of options on social media and the idea is for me to get whatever gets the most votes.

“A mohican would be really funny as I’ve got curly hair. No-one really knew that as I’ve always chosen to have my hair cut short since becoming an adult.

“During lockdown I didn’t have my hair cut properly and then I thought I should maybe let it grow as something to remember the time by.

“I then started thinking I should keep it until the end of lockdown and if I could also do something good to raise money for the team and the community then why not.”

Matthew took his dodgeball team to New York for a previous World Cup and has so far managed to raise around £13,000 to get his side to compete in North Africa.

Lockdown has provided challenges as far as keeping the team in tip-top shape has gone with restrictions on indoor sports meaning the Dodgeball Warriors are currently training outside at The Deanery CE High School.

Matthew said: “We’ve found a way to practice when we could and lockdown restrictions allowed us.

“We played outside at Alexandra Park, outside the DW Stadium, in two groups of six indoors and now at The Deanery outdoors.

“We’ve had to embrace it as part of the challenge and the journey. There are far more serious things going on around the world so we’re just passionately waiting for our opportunity to put Wigan on the sporting map next summer.”

Matthew will have the winning hairdo at 2pm on Sunday, with the cutting being streamed online.

He also thanked everyone who had taken part in the Wigan Dodgeball Warriors’ previous fund-raising efforts.

To find out more or donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/wigandodgeballwarriors2020-dodgeball-worldcup and www.facebook.com/TheWiganRunner