A hospice nurse is committing to cutting off his hair to raise money for the charity he works for.

Jamie Phillips, a Team Leader for Fair Havens Hospice at Home, is well known for his long brown hair at the charity, which he’s been growing for five years. He has decided to cut around 12 inches off his ‘barnet’ to raise vital funds for Havens Hospices and donate the hair to the Little Princess Trust.

The haircut is planned for the end of July, and Hospice at Home Nursing Assistant Sam, a former hairdresser, will have the task of cutting and styling Jamie’s new hairdo.

Jamie said, “I’ve decided to cut my hair because I want to do my bit towards the fundraising efforts to ensure that we can be here for the patients who need us in the coming months and years.”

“Families often say thank you to me, but they don’t need to thank me because caring for someone at the end of their life is an honour.

“I feel humbled working with my colleagues and the patients that I see every day. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else or doing anything else in my nursing career.”

Fair Havens Hospice at Home, part of Havens Hospices, provides supportive and palliative care for patients who wish to be cared for or die in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.

Their specialist team of Nurses and Nursing Assistants provide the care and compassion someone at the end of their life deserves, as well as supporting their family. They support discharges from hospital to home, offer planned and urgent respite in the day and overnight, and provide holistic care at the end of someone’s life.

The Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years old, who have lost their hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

Havens Hospices includes Fair Havens in Southend, and Little Havens, the children’s hospice for Essex. The care provided by the charity is completely free of charge, thanks to the generosity of individuals and groups, raising money and making donations.

Jamie hopes to raise £500 for Havens Hospices. Please visit his fundraising page to donate and help continue to make every day count for the charity’s patients and their families.