SENIOR teacher Chris Palmer proved to be a cut above the rest after agreeing to let a colleague loose on his lockdown locks to raise money for charity.
The assistant headteacher at Haughton Academy, part of the Education Village, Darlington, ended up sporting a mohawk haircut for a week in a bid to raise £500 for a local foodbank.
The winning staff team from a virtual ‘Not in a Pub Pub Quiz’ took the opportunity to spin the ‘wheel of misfortune’ containing a range of styles, including the Tin Tin, mullet, complete shave and the mohawk.
It landed on the Tin Tin but when it came to the chop deputy headteacher Su Gill gave the hapless volunteer a mohawk instead.
“I’d not had a cut since February and it was looking a bit unkempt,” said Mr Palmer. “It certainly feels nice and cool now.”
The event was organised by assistant headteacher Catherine Robson when she heard her colleague saying he needed a haircut.
She said: “He is such a good sport and always volunteers to help. He said his hair was out of control and it was great to do this for charity.”
Darlington foodbank, on Whessoe Road, is operated by King’s Church and is helped every Christmas by Haughton Academy, which collects food hampers.
Covid-19 has seen a 40 per cent increase in the use of this vital emergency food resource, which has been supporting approximately 410 young people and families.
King’s Church is also currently supporting other foodbanks in the local area to help meet the current needs.
Mrs Gill, who had never cut hair before, said: “His hair was very soft and there was certainly a lot of it. I was quite pleased with the result. I might have a new career in the making.”
Mr Palmer said: “It is really important to do something now for the foodbanks which are really busy because of the pandemic and will be in even greater demand over the school holidays.”
Anyone wanting to donate can do so at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/haughtonacademy or visit https://www.kingschurchdarlington.org/foodbank/donations/.