Bzzzzzzzz...

In January 2005 - just before Bethany went into hospital, I had a hair cut. It was messy, it needed doing, and as I didn't know how long the stint in hospital would be, I figured I best get it done.

Six weeks later, Bethy passed away following her complications, and since then, I have not had my hair cut, aside from one or two little trims. From root to tip, my hair is approximately 15 inches long.

And now, like I have been saying for a long time, it's all going - in the name of charity of course. I WANT to raise a lot - I don't want to have a handful of people donate a few quid and that be it. I want to raise a decent sum of money, and split it between The Evelina Children's Heart Organisation (ECHO) and Cancer Research UK. On top of this, my lovely locks will also be donated, probably to the Little Princess Trust - who make wigs for children that have lost their hair due to medical treatments.

I don't have a date as to when this will be - not yet. I want to get everything sorted FIRST, then start banding my SPONSOR ME!! drum and get the pledges rolling in. I will probably use a site like JustGiving.com as they accept money from overseas as well which means you lot in the US-of-A and you lot living Down Under can sponsor me too.

I am hoping that someone, somewhere, will be able to help out getting a company or similar to sponsor me too to make the sum a decent whack...

After everything ECHO did for Bethy in her short time - even for ALL the children they save day in, day out - I need to do something for them, I need to give something back... If it means I have a cold head for a few weeks, then so be it. I grew my hair because... well, I don't know why. I just couldn't face cutting it.  But now I need to cut it. I am don't like it any more, it's in the way, it's annoying - so I might as well do something useful with it one last time.

The only pitfalls I can see at the moment are the fact the JustGiving/VirginDonations don't seem to allow a balance to be split between two charities... I have messaged both support desks in a hope that there is a way around it. If it turns out I can't split the money, nor work out a safe/easy way to do so, then it will be ECHO the money is raised for.

Secondly, hair length is going to be a bit of an issue - I've never had it shorter than an inch or so, but to get the most hair off - and let's be honest, the best shot at being sponsored - I think I am going to have to have it cut RIGHT DOWN to the skin, military clippers style.

Which is why I am not going to jump in if it only raises a few quid. Sort of an All-Or-Nothing approach. I CAN'T part with my hair if the end result isn't a decent donation.

Luckily, I know lots of my Facebook friends said last time I mentioned this, that they would be sponsoring me, and I am sure a lot of you on Twitter will also donate something - plus if it gets retweeted enough and strangers wade in, so much the better. On top of this, friends and family have said they too will donate, and a couple of little shops around the corner have said I can put sponsorship forms in there to help get a few more quid...

As you can see, I've been a busy boy today trying to get this arranged, so watch this space, get ready to donate and spread the word. The more the merrier, after all!