Kind Kat gives her hair to help other children (From Ledbury Reporter)

Kind Kat gives her hair to help other children

12:30pm Friday 26th October 2012 in News

A KIND-hearted teenager was inspired to have her hair cut off in the name of charity.

Kat Hopkirk, a year nine pupil at John Masefield High School in Ledbury, lopped off her shoulderlength locks to raise funds for the Richard Sheldon Foundation, which was set up in memory of a family friend to support research into cancer.

Kat went under the clippers cheered on by her classmates and teachers.

Her efforts raised £700 for the cause and her hair will be donated to the Little Princess Trust – a Hereford-based charity which provides real-hair wigs free of charge to boys and girls who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions.

Andy Collard, deputy headteacher at John Masefield High School, said: “Kat is an incredibly brave young lady and an absolute inspiration to staff and students alike.

“Her decision to do this was entirely her own and emphasises just how committed and passionate about key issues she is.

“She really has shown just how much young people do care about important issues. We are incredibly proud of what she has achieved.”

Tim Wheeler, chairman of the trustees of the Little Princess Trust, said brave actions like those of Kat’s were integral to the charity’s work.

He said: “The trust relies solely on the efforts of our enthusiastic fund-raisers.

We’re delighted that the number of children we are able to help continues to grow and we couldn’t achieve this without the generous support of people like Kat.”