Hi my name is Charlene, I would like to thank anyone who took the time to read this.

My granny was a hairloss suffer, when I was five I seen her beautiful smile removed from her face, her confidance gone in a flash.., we was playing and her wig fell off, I saw the fear an sadness look on her face, I immediatly helped place it back on her head an then I seen that same smile come back again ! I later found the cause of my grannys hairloss was through breast cancer and her chemothreapy treatment and sadly passed shortly after her treatment. My passion as a child was to put a smile on my grannys face, after she passed this never changed I just relised I can still make other people smile.I learnt this through school, I enrolled onto a Modern Apprenticship in hairdressing after 3 years Ibqualified as a proffessional hair dresser. The next step was to qualify in hairloss replacement and become a wig-maker specialist. My next stage was about to begin. I met my partner at the age of 17 and he was 25, he immediatly took control of the realationship my home, life and even munipulating family members, before I knew it my dreams and goals seemed unreachable. Two years in to our relationship I fell pregnant. From this moment I convinced myself I could help, whilst he made me think he could change, this couldnt be further from the truth he was more controlling, abusive and violent. Alcohol problems became apparent after my son was born. I wasbt allowed to work or even go out and family members was not allowed to my home, unless under his say. Be who he wanted us to be, Me and my son felt like prisoners for the next 6 years and this was the best way I was scared I was conveinced he would always have full control the best way to keep my son safe was to stay. When the violence reached my sons eyes I knew this was my time. My son was six, some people dont understand why it took so long to get away but for me even if it took 20 years I still got us away in the end.

Its been Just over Two years now me and my son ran away from that very abusive an mentally draining relationship of 10 years. We ran with just the clothes we had on our backs I stayed quiet and hid from family too, I took all the right measures contacting the police and the courts. I told them the truth, my story with evidence. The courts set in place an Injunction and a prohibated steps order and my sons father had his parental rights revoked. “We are free“ these was the words from a 7 year old boy. During the time of being homeless staying on friends sofas and hiding in temporarly accomadation.During this time was being treated for a condition called endometriosis whereby abnormalaties grow internaly. I was always in an extream amount of pain. I had an operation then I was placed on treatment for 6 months called “lapron” given by way of injection. It seemed like it happend just over night I began to loose my hair at a fast pace falling out in my hands.

My confidence was shattered I never gave up it pushed me even more. I thought back to how my granny dealt with her hairloss. That was it I knew what to do, when life gives you lemons make lemonade. I used what little money I could spare an bought some hair and patched it up, and carried on.

Time to build a life for my son and me. I want to finish what I set out to do and open my wig-making & Hairloss Clinic. To do this I need to complete the wig-making course and I need support & help financially which I have never had. I decided to make a solid Buisness Plan and I took it to The Princes Trust in Liverpool, after it being proof read by high proffessionals I new my buisness idea was more than acheivable. They told me how great my buisness plan was, and they could support and help financially. The only input needed to the plan was the location of where I wanted my premises. I was allocated a Mentor, whom told me I had to find my premises, I did this twice but on both occassions my mentor hadnt reached the financial loan stage to secure these premises and My mentor said to her team/manager that my Buisness Plan wasnt fully completed and more information had to be input, although I had done this twice now, i feel i wasnt being fully supported through lack of communication two premises was unsuccessful.I found the third premises, another member from the princes trust helped get the Lease Agreement ready for me to sign and as soon as the loan went through, i needed to secure this also my school placement in london. I re input all the details and costings into my buisness plan in the same day so my mentor could file for the Loan. My mentor told me to include costings for my course and my premises ,equipment ,stock and materiels and refurbishment which came to a total of £10,000 my mentor advised me that i could receive a £5000.00 loan amont first which would cover the costings of the course £2800 and the first initail costs for the premises £1300, and then once i have completed my course we would discuss further financing to refurbush equipt and stock the buisness. Before i left for my course i told my mentor i was worried She advised me not to panic and concentrate on completing my course first and we would dicuss the rest when I came back. Then I was then briefly allocated a New mentor to help support the buisness. After i completed and qualified on the course, I called my mentor to discuss further funding ie front sign, flooring ,wash basin ,furnishing and stock and materials, and start up with abit if cashflow. This would then allow me yo make bespoke wigs and hair replacements for men and woman across the U.K. I was disgusted and shocked by her response, i was told that unfortunatly there isnt extra funding as its the end of the tax year and all the funding pots are froze and I shouldnt of signed my lease. I then discussed this with my new mentor who understood my situation and also didnt understand why I couldnt receive more funding but then he soon advised me that its the new Princes Trust policy is only to support to a limit £5000. my new mentor then put me intouch with a few other companies that may of been able to help but unforntunatly they told me the Princes trust had complicated things as I took £5000.00 other lenders wont lend as its seen as a top up which I can only do after six months, ive soon learned tgat if i went with any other start up companie I would of received upto £25,000.

So the stage im at now, im a fully qualified hairdresser and Wig-maker Specialist and hair replacement, I have an amazing premises in a great High End

busy location, on a 3year Lease.The little money I had left from the buisness loan has just gone on this months rent as im now a month in and my doors are not open and rent I havnt got an income yet. I wont to give up I will open my Clinic and finally help people and also doing my dream job. I have worked so hard. I have my Buisness Plan and also my Lease Agreement and of course pictures of the premises.I will be happy to arrange for anyone that wishes to help regarding this or has read my story and wishes to be supported in anyway im here. I really feel me and my son have almost conqured life but yet something so small is still trying to stop us but I would be very stupid not to make more lemonade.