Locks off instead of lock down for Offaly girl

IT may be lock down for many people but for 17-year-old Hannah Corble it was a case of locks off for two good causes.

The teenager got the chop from Olive Doyle at Cheveux in Tullamore and donated the hair to Rapunzel and money to Jigsaw.

Hannah, a resident of The Derries and a daughter of Esther Gaffey and Graham Corble, had raised €720 by Tuesday morning (August 18) this week, €20 more than her initial €700 target.

Donations can still be made on the GoFundMe page 'Hannah's hair for Jigsaw', the Killina Secondary School student said.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me so far,” she added.

Blessed with a long mane since childhood, when the time came to get it cut, she first thought of donating the shorn hair to Rapunzel.

Rapunzel is a voluntary organisation which make wigs for children and teenagers suffering from hair loss.

“I've always wanted to cut my hair. I've had it long for most of my life,” Hannah remarked.

“Instead of just getting it cut I thought I'd donate it to Rapunzel instead of just throwing it away.”

Then she decided she would raise some money too and the issue of mental health was uppermost in her mind.

“Not many people are thinking about mental health these days but it is really important, especially for young people.”

She was delighted with the response to her fundraising efforts and was shocked at the amount of money which came in.

“I can't believe I got that much. I got loads of support. It's brilliant.”

Jigsaw is a mental health support and counselling service for young people which is based in Tullamore.

The Rapunzel Foundation has been collecting hair for a number of years to aid young people in need of hair replacement.