Having passed the “spring chicken” stage some way back, I’m actually rather pleased to report a rather more, er, direct form of hair loss recently!

A couple of years ago, I was challenged by my friend and Scuba industry colleague, Roz Lunn, to literally let my hair down for Project AWARE (Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility & Education – visit www.projectaware.org for more information); Roz’ suggestion was that I should let my hair grow a bit, then have it shorn off in support of the Project AWARE Foundation, which works tirelessly to help protect our marine environments, flora & fauna. Somewhat surprisingly, my aging follicles managed to meet the challenge, actually producing a volume worth bidding to remove – albeit that a ponytail is not necessarily a good look for a sixteen-stone bloke, making me look more like some dodgy character from Miami Vice than a PADI Professional! True, it may have taken a while longer than expected to become a really annoying length, however just under two years since our initial conversation there was no escaping the shears at a charity dinner early in August 2010.

The time-honoured tradition of “passing the pot” for donations on the night was observed, while I stood somewhat nervously before the evening’s diners with Roz wielding her Clairols at my side; at one stage, I was even moved to bid for keeping the curls, however the horde were not to be denied, and a final whip-round added over a tenner per table to the overall collection. First order of business was to remove the ponytail, a duty successfully bid for and won by Margarett Stally, owner and Course Director at PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centre Newhaven Scuba, followed by a procession of other donating volunteers who all wanted to knock me down a follicle or two. From my perspective in the cutting chair, it was a little unnerving to see the “run-up” approach being taken by some of them, and I will also admit to considerable relief as I passed the “Max Wall” and “Shaolin Monk” stages, as I more than half-expected some late bids to keep me looking that way for a week or two.

Thankfully spared this fate, some 15 hair-razing minutes and a few more donations later it was all over; we made just a hair’s breadth over £230 on the night but, like the new coat of fuzz on my swede, this amount can grow still more with your help, through this JustGiving site.

I’d like to thank Roz for suggesting the stunt in the first place, and wielding the whirring blades at the end; my colleague Richard Howes for taking the photos you see here; and, of course, everyone who gave on the night, and YOU in particular for giving here on-line. All further donations are most welcome, since every penny that goes to Project AWARE helps nurture the environment which provides us with so much enjoyment; it’s under constant threat, so it needs all the help we can provide to protect it and keep it’s plight in the public eye.

BTW, does anyone want to buy any scrunchies? J

 

 

 

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