An overdue trip to the hairdressers has helped our red arrow driver Barney raise £1,000 for the Lewis Mighty Fund, a charity that helps support young cancer victims in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Dave Askew – known to friends and colleagues as Barney – has been growing his flowing locks for the past two and a half years, but now they’ve been cropped in aid of the Lewis Mighty Fund. The money from his sponsored head shave has contributed to a total of £8,000 raised for the charity by trentbarton during our centenary year.

Barney explained: “I’ve had a bit of teasing about growing my hair so long, but it’s all been worthwhile as it’s helped me to support a very worthwhile cause. “As well as receiving sponsorship from colleagues and regular customers, I’ve also had support from family and friends at my local church,” he said.

In addition to raising money for the Lewis Mighty Fund, the 54-year-old has also donated the hair that was cut by salon owner Sally Montague to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients who’ve lost their hair during treatment. Barney added: “I’d like to thank everyone who has donated money and to Sally and the girls at the salon in Derby who cut my hair as part of their training.” 

With 19 years behind the wheel, Barney is one of trentbarton’s longest-serving drivers, and Alex Hornby, our Commercial Director, said he always manages to raise a smile. “He’s a real character and is as popular with customers as he is with colleagues,” Alex said. “He deserves a massive well done for all his efforts of the last couple of months to help us reach such a massive total for our 2013 charity.”

In 2014, trentbarton’s chosen charity is Help For Heroes.