A Staffordshire PC is preparing to say goodbye to his famous man-bun as he gears up to brave the shave for charity after seeing close friends battle cancer.
Rich Lymer will be lopping his locks off on Saturday 22 May to raise money for three charities and in honour of three women he knows who have all previously faced, or are currently facing, a breast cancer diagnosis.
The 39-year-old, whose mane measures an impressive two feet, will also be donating his hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that creates real hair wigs for poorly young people.
“I keep joking that I’ve got the most expensive hair in Staffordshire,” says father-of-one Rich, who has been part of the Force since he was 16.
“It’s strange, all I’m doing is shaving my hair off but the effect it’s had has been unreal. People have been so generous with their donations. I honestly can’t thank them enough.”
Despite having an original target of £600, Rich’s fund-raising total has already crept past £4,200.
“I’ve never had a shaved head before. I think it will be very weird. At the beginning, I was just going to have a trim but the more money that’s been donated, the bigger the pressure was to take it all off,” added Rich, who has been growing his hair for seven years.
“The money I’ve raised will make such a huge difference to these charities, especially after the impact the pandemic has had on them.”
While Rich says his daughter will be proud of him, he says his partner is still coming round to the idea of him having the chop.
“I’m excited but also nervous about the shave. My mates are trying to convince me to get rid of the beard too, but the hair is enough,” says Rich, who reveals the trick to keeping his tresses tidy is coconut oil.
He added: “Stick a bit of coconut oil in it and the job’s a good ‘un.”
Rich is raising money for Katharine House, StrongMen and Mummy’s Star, all of which support people affected by cancer.
Rich will be streaming the shave on Facebook live. For more details on how to watch the shave, or to donate visit Rich’s fund-raising page.
