When I was 21, I was told I had a mass on my brain, and the very first thing that went through my head was, I’m going to lose my hair. I didn’t want to be bald, I loved my hair. I know it sounds shallow when compared to something that could have been life-threatening, but fear doesn’t always make sense. Thankfully, it turned out to be a benign cyst.

Now, having just turned 30 and with the start of a new year, I’ve set myself a goal to raise a certain amount of money for charity. I decided that the first thing I would do is chop my hair off. I’m not as brave as the young ladies who have no choice but to face losing their hair, so I won’t be shaving it all off but I will be having a very substantial cut. I visited Kin & Co, my hairdressers, on 31 January, and if I go for a bob, I’ll be able to donate at least 15 inches. The big chop is happening on 4 April, so I’m hoping for another inch or two before then.

I plan to donate my hair to The Little Princess Trust and also raise money to help fund a wig. On average, it costs around £700 to provide one wig for a child or young person, which includes the making, fitting, and styling. My aim is to raise as close to that amount as possible.