Thurso shop worker braves a public shave
A BIG-hearted Thurso woman had her head shaved for charity in the shop where she works on Saturday afternoon.
Helen Allan, who works at Semichem in Rotterdam Street, bravely had her hair cropped in public for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and has already raised more than twice her original target of £1000.
"My dad took a stroke in 2012 and unfortunately passed away," said Helen just before the head shave.
"I think he'd be very proud. I've been supported by staff and customers along with friends and family."
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3 / 3Helen says that the last article produced in the paper two weeks ago about her head shave fundraiser "definitely" helped raise extra funds for the good cause.
"My Facebook page has gone up to £465 and I think the sponsors in total come to over £2000 now."
The original target Helen hoped for was £1000 but with in-shop sponsorship forms and various online fundraiser opportunities for people to donate to, she has more than doubled the target amount.
The latest fundraising page was set up by Scotmid Cooperative –Semichem being part of that group – and the organisation is backing Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland as its "charity of the year".
The year-long partnership between the charity and Scotmid aims to not only raise a substantial amount of funding for rehabilitation services but also to increase awareness and make sure that people struggling after a stroke know where to turn to for support.
Helen's father had a stroke in 2012 and had his leg amputated due to blood clots. "He died in 2016 so this charity is close to my heart," she said.
"We are a family with asthma in it and heart conditions. I also have friends who suffer from these conditions and had strokes/heart attacks far too early in life, so I'd like to highlight the conditions."
Scott Youngson, who runs the Comm Bar and Top Joes in the town, gave £200 and many other local people contributed.
At 3pm on Saturday, friends and supporters gathered in the Rotterdam Street retail outlet and watched Helen get a very public head shave.
Shona Farquhar, the store manager at Semichem in Thurso, said she and the other staff are "really proud" of Helen.
"The amount of money she's raised has been absolutely phenomenal," said Shona.
Helen was in good hands, having her golden locks cut by Amanda Steven – a hairdressing lecturer from North Highland College as well as a stylist at the Blow Your Top salon in the town.
"I've done a few [charity head shaves] but I haven't done one in a while," said Amanda.
"I do her her hair anyway [at the salon]," she added.
"It'll be a few weeks before I'm back in," laughed Helen at the end of the event.
Helen says that though she is not that bothered by the cropped style she will probably grow it back.
"I think it'll take about six to eight weeks to grow back," she said.
Helen's mother, Jean Budge, also joked at the end of the head shave and said: "The last time I saw her like that I was giving birth to her."
To donate to Helen's fundraiser, head to Semichem in Thurso for a sponsor sheet or visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/semichemthurso
Thurso shop worker goes bald for a good cause