Wigan schoolboy's haircut helps dual noble causes

Phoenix, a year six pupil at Wigan St Andrew’s, had his long locks sheared off after being inspired to help his school fund some much needed building repairs. But his good deeds didn’t stop there.

In fact, 11-year-old Phoenix went a step further, by donating his hair to The Little Princess Trust so that it could be turned into wigs for children who have lost their hair during cancer treatment.

Proud mum Nadene said: “The school’s fund-raising has been hit by Covid, so they sent a letter out explaining that they needed some building work done quite urgently, and in order to get it done, they needed to raise 10 per cent of the funds themselves.

“So they were asking people for fund-raising ideas, and Phoenix thought about doing this sponsored haircut.

“He’s always had long hair, he absolutely loves it, so it was a massive thing for him to do. I’m really proud of him.”

The team at Laura Leanne & Co in Gidlow Lane welcomed Phoenix to their salon last week for his haircut.

The charitable youngster set himself an early target of raising £500, a target which was smashed in less than 48 hours.

To date, his exploits have helped raise more than £1,600.

On his fund-raising page, Phoenix wrote: “I absolutely love my primary school, Wigan St Andrew’s!

“I was really sad to hear that they don’t have enough money to fix the building repairs that desperately need fixing and I thought ‘What can I do to help?’

“So, I decided to do a sponsored haircut!”

The Little Princess Trust is a UK charity that provides real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people, up to the age of 24, who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment or other illnesses.

They also fund pioneering, life-saving research into childhood cancers.

Since it was established back in 2006, the Trust has supplied over 8,000 wigs to children and young people, and has invested approximately £5 million into ground-breaking childhood cancer research. To find out more about the charity’s story, and for details on how to donate money, your hair or request a wig, visit the website www.littleprincesses.org.uk.

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