Newtonmore lad's a "local hairo"

It takes a cool head to give up your hair for sick children’s wigs – and that’s just what Oliver Kennedy has now!

A three-year trip to the barber’s finally reached its destination on Saturday at St Bride’s Church in Newtonmore and the eight-year-old hero gave most of it up for charity.

He explained: “Four years ago my granny, Lic, was diagnosed with lung cancer. While mum was showing us what the treatment might do, I discovered that children also get things wrong with them that cause their hair to fall out and they sometimes get wigs.

“I then asked about the wigs and how they were made.

“A year later Granny Lic passed away and, soon after, I decided I didn’t want to have my haircut as I would like to grow it to make a wig for a child who lost their hair through cancer. I was five, nearly six.”

So began a determined journey to a rich head of hair that he would one day “pass on” to someone in desperate need of it.

Over those years Oliver put up with heatwaves but refused to cut his hair until he, and it, was good and ready.

He had to put up with some ribbing from those around him who didn’t understand: “I have been treated differently by people because I am a boy with long hair, yet I refused to cut my hair.

“I was mistaken for a girl on lots of occasions, yet I refused to cut my hair until now.

“I am finally cutting my hair because it is now longer than the required length.”

On Saturday afternoon it all came Wright, you might say. Gwynneth Wright, of The Wright Style in Kingussie, was there to perform her professional duty in honour of Oliver’s generosity.

While his mum, Laura Kearns, plaited each section, Gwynneth readied herself with the shears and delivered a series of beautiful tails – each of them between eight inches and a foot long – to the growing collection which, before long, would be speeding its way to needy children.

“He’s a fantastic boy,” said the hair stylist. “This really was a fabulous gesture. We were all full of praise for him and applauded each plait that came off.

Oliver had put on his JustGiving page: “Please help raise the money needed to make my hair into a wig so a child who is ill can have hair again”.

And by the weekend it had already reached 66 per cent of its £500 target in aid of the Little Princess Trust, which provides real-hair wigs, free of charge, to boys and girls who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other illnesses.

His mum was quick to point out that donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure.

“Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity,” said Laura.

n The link can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Oliverkennedy?

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