He’s done it before and he’s doing it again.
At the age of 72, Harold Mason is no stranger to having his locks shaved for charity.
When his wife, Liz, was having surgery and treatment for lung cancer, Harold saw some fundraising leaflets in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and decided to do something to help.
In 2018, he went to Kirkby Cutz in Kirkby Stephen and had his head shaved, raising more than £1,000 for the cancer department at the Freeman Hospital and Kirkby Stephen Cancer Research.
His wife has sadly passed away but Harold, of Wharton, near Kirkby Stephen, is determined to continue with his fundraising mission.
Next month, on Monday, August 3, Harold will get his head shaved at Kirkby Cutz again.
This time, he is raising money for the Penrith Community Hospital League of Friends.
He said: “I just like to do my bit. I’ve got lockdown hair at the moment. It’s starting to curl up at the ends.”
Harold already has about £60 in sponsorship.
Clare Martindale, Team Leader for Upper Eden District Nurses, said: “Harold is a real character and during lockdown decided he wanted to do something to help us.
“The money he raises helps support our nurses and community teams. It means we can buy grab bags which community nurses use to take into people’s homes. We carry our equipment in them that may be needed on a community visit.
“They give a professional feel to the role of a community nurse and help keep us organised.
“We can also purchase items like power banks to keep our laptops going when we are out in rural areas. The powers banks just give the battery a bit more life.
“We have also been able to buy head torches for our team for when we are working late or out on visits in the winter.
“They’re all little things but they really do help.”
The head shave will take place at 9.45am on August 3 at Kirkby Cutz, Market Square, Kirkby Stephen.
You can donate to Harold’s JustGiving page by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3jcdcQ0
Picture credit: Frederick Cameron Wilson