Eleven-year-old Mansfield boy to brave the shave for pre-term babies at Sutton hospital

Alfie Bunker was inspired to have his foot-long locks lopped off to help a special care baby unit after his youngest sister, Lilac-Grace, was born prematurely last September.

Alfie, a pupil at Oak Tree Primary School, is taking part in a sponsored hair cut to raise funds for the neo-natal intensive care unit at King’s Mill.

Hannah Marshall, his mum, said: “The unit helped us when Lilac-Grace was born at 35 weeks after what had been a very difficult pregnancy for me. They literally saved my life.”

‘He will be bald’

Hannah and husband Christopher, of Oak Tree, Mansfield, are currently expecting another child and have another daughter April, aged nine.

Hannah, 31, said: “Alfie wanted to do some fundraising, we have done some before and he had thought about doing something for a cancer charity.

“He started to grow his hair, but later decided he wanted to do it for the baby unit instead, especially after they had helped our family so much. They were great.”

Alfie is hoping to get his hair cut in the coming weeks, but ‘definitely before Christmas’, his mum said.

The family are appealing to Chad readers to back young Alfie’s efforts and to help find a suitable salon for his special hair cut.

Hannah said: “Alfie’s already raised £200 from sponsorship from teachers and friends, but is determined to have the whole lot cut off – he will be bald.

“We really hope Chad readers will help him get a few more sponsors.”

Contact the family via Hannah Marshall Facebook page.

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