Eight year old from Colchester to cut his hair in support of homeless charity
Alex Fuller is supporting Emmaus Colchester
An eight-year-old in Colchester is cutting his 16 inch hair to raise money for a local homeless charity.
Alex Fuller has been growing his hair as a way to help him cope with his ADHD and autism. It helps him cope with feelings of overwhelm, during the years he spent coming to terms with his diagnosis.
Choosing to cut his hair was a big decision, and he wanted to donate money, and his hair, to local charities.
Alex has already raised over £600 for Emmaus Colchester, aiming for a target of £800.
The charity provides a home and work opportunities to those who are at risk of becoming homeless.
Alex's hair will also be donated to The Little Princess Trust, which helps children who have lost their hair through cancer treatment of other conditions.
He said: “Some things are really hard for me but at least I have a good school and my family that support me and help me do all the things. I want to raise money for Emmaus as they support grown-ups that have had a really tough time, especially where they find it hard to fit in the world, like me”.
Alex will be cutting his hair on Friday 20th February.
He told Greatest Hits Radio Essex News that he had been growing his hair out for around three years, and he feels very happy that the hair is being donated for a good cause.
He said that he didn't recognise how long his hair was, as the growth was gradual.
Victoria, Alex's mum, said:
"He was quite young when he told me that he was going to grow his hair long, so I was a little bit sceptical to begin with.
"But he absolutely did it. Here we are, three years later. It's nearly a foot and a half long.
"I think it's a wonderful thing. He's really stuck with it.
"He's really had the the staying power, and he decided recently that he wanted to cut it.
"It was a really significant event for him. So he wanted it to be something really significant for other people as well."
The pair thanked everyone that has already donated money, and say they really appreciate people's generosity.
Darren Scott, Business Manager of Emmaus Colchester, says: “We’re really impressed by Alex’s bravery in taking on this challenge and we’re very grateful that he’s chosen to support our charity. A large proportion of our residents are neurodiverse, and it means a lot to them that Alex is thinking about people like him getting the right support.”