Student braves charity head shave in memory of family friend
A student who waved goodbye to her golden locks has raised thousands for causes close to her heart.
Olivia Bolas braved the shave and chopped off her luscious blonde hair in memory of family friend Claire Higgs.
The former Wolverhampton Grammar School student has now smashed her £1,500 fundraising target, totalling £2,300 to be shared between two charities.
Ms Bolas said: “It went really well. On the morning, I was really nervous but when it started happening I was really excited.
“It was difficult to start with, it took me a few days to get used to it, but I’m really happy with it now.”
The 21-year-old decided to raise cash for charity WomanKind Worldwide, which supports women’s movements across the globe and aims to end violence against females.
Her money will also support Lichfield-based St Giles’ Hospice, which cared for Ms Higgs before she lost her battle with cancer aged 57 last year.
Ms Higgs, who was a practice nurse in Aldridge and was from Stonnal, had been a close friend of the family for many years.
Ms Bolas, from Wolverhampton, said: “When people ask about the head shave, it feels good to say I have done it for good causes and I have made a difference.
“Our families had been going on holidays as a group since we were young. Claire was also my mum’s midwife, so she delivered me.
“I think I have done her proud. It’s definitely life-changing. It’s really made me feel I can do something to make a difference.”
Ms Bolas locks were shaved away by hairdresser Rachael Stallard at Tettenhall Wood’s Cute Hair Salon, where she has had her hair cut for the past decade.
Her head shave came just weeks ahead of her graduation ceremony from Cardiff University.
The journalism student added: “I’m lucky to be able to make this choice, my hair will soon grow back and I can choose any colour or style that I want, start from scratch with it.
‘If people imagine me going to my graduation next month with my newly cropped hair they might think that that is worth a few pounds of their money for these two great charities.”
Visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/oliviaellenbolas to donate.
