Lennoxtown youngster cuts her hair to send aid to Ukrainian refugees

St Machans Primary pupil Niamh Burke had her hair cut to help children suffering cancer and those fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The nine-year-old is a member of the Lennoxtown Project Group which has been involved in collecting aid for Ukraine.

The first load of aid Niamh helped to collect was donated to the Cloybank outdoor centre in Banknock and has been sent to the Ukraine/Polish border.

She then went to visit Cloybank with her mum Colleen and they got speaking to the owner John Penman.

He told them about his journey to eastern Europe to priovide aid to the refugees and his plans for a return trip.

After going home Niamh wondered what she could do to help and hit upon the idea of using her hair to raise money.

Ten inches of her hair were cut off by Lynette Gallacher Barr at Lennoxtown’s Vanity Hair & Beauty earlier this month.

This follows in the footsteps of her older sister Brooklyn who sacrificed 14 inches of her hair back in 2016 which was subsequently donated to the Little Princess Trust.

Niamh’s hair will also be sent to the charity which provides real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer.

In addition, through her efforts she has raised £1,000 in sponsorship, and was back at Cloybank to surprise John with a cheque.

John told Niamh he would use the money to buy food on his next trip to Poland for delivery to refugee camps on the Ukraine border.

Colleen said: “John had no idea Niamh had done this and she raised such a fabulous total going around with her sponsor sheet.

"I’m very proud of her and want to thank everyone who gave Niamh their support in aid of The Little Princess Trust and the Ukranian refugees.”

John is currently in Poland having driven all the way to Wrocław with a delivery of aid, food and toys for those most in need.

He said: “What we are doing is a drop in the ocean, but it will make a difference – hopefully.”