A BARNARD Castle Brownie used her first proper haircut as an opportunity to earn a new badge, raise much-need cash for charity and create a wig for a child with cancer.
Seven-year-old Lucy Wills-more had only ever had a trim before embarking on her quest to earn her Brownie charities badge.
Her mum, Kerry, who is a leader for 4th Barnard Castle Brownies, said: “She has wanted to have it cut and we were supposed to have it cut but lockdown happened.
“The Brownies have been meeting over Zoom where they are given a task every week. The first was to find a charity to support.”
While researching charities such as the air ambulance and animal trusts, the mum and daughter team came across the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children, with cancer and decided it would be ideal to support. They set up a Justgiving page with the hope of raising £550 – the cost of producing a wig from human hair.
Mrs Willsmore said: “She made that money within 24 hours and went on to double her target to raise £1,102. She can’t believe she made so much money.”
While the minimum hair length to make a wig is seven-and-a-half inches, the Barnard Castle Prep School pupil had hoped to achieve 12 inches by the time lockdown restrictions were lifted to allow a visit to hairdresser Amanda Willis, from Zhoo Salon, who had offered to do it free of charge.
She beat this target as well, and a full 13 inches has been sent to the Little Princess Trust.
The Brownie is also thrilled with the new freedom her much shorter locks have brought her.
Her mum said: “She is loving it. I have never known her to be so keen to brush her own hair – I used to have to do it for her. It has brought her a lot of independence.”
