HAIR-RAISING antics helped care home staff collect almost £2,000 to support those affected by cancer.
Waxing, shaving and a sponsored silence were undertaken by staff at Pelton Grange Care Home, on Front Street, Pelton, for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The home’s cook Linda Chambers braved the shave for the charity, going under the shears in memory of her mother, Jean, who passed away from cancer almost a year ago.
She said: “It was emotional, as I’d always said I would do this for my mum, and it brought back all of the memories of her illness and her passing.
“I have the choice to do this but people who are having chemotherapy don’t have the choice. And at the end of the day my hair will grow back.”
While Linda lost her locks, home manager Chris Hogan-Hind suffered through his first leg wax, hugging a pillow as residents and staff took turns ripping off strips.
Residents Brenda Clifford and Audrey Robinson were among those giving Chris a helping hand to complete his challenge.
He said: “That’s got to be one of the most painful things I’ve ever done in my life. The fact that the residents were laughing didn’t make it any easier.”
While Chris’s hair-larious howling had residents chortling, three usually chatty staff members didn’t let out a sound for the day.
A sponsored silence was undertaken by carer Sue Ellison, domestic worker Jan Todd and kitchen assistant Tracey Craig.
When they got their voices back, they all agreed: “It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done.”
The fundraising activities were supported by fellow residents and staff, as well as their relatives and friends of the home, some of whom have also been affected by cancer. So far, they have raised more than £1,700.
The event is part of a year of fundraising activities for Macmillan Cancer Support, the 2019/20 chosen charity of the Hill Care Group, which operates Pelton Grange Care Home.
Chris added: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the recent fundraising activities as well as those who lent their support and donated.
“We raised an amazing sum for Macmillan Cancer Support, adding a significant amount to the total raised by the Hill Care Group as a whole.”