Scarborough friends “Brave the Shave” to raise money for MacMillan

Husband and wife, Chris, 52, and Michelle Allen, 50, and friend Rachael Poole, 36, “Braved the Shave” at the Tap and Spile on Falsgrave Road on Sunday, September 5.

A statement on the trio's fundraising page reads: “Team Jo Laking are fundraising for Macmillan on behalf of our amazing warrior queen, who is fighting breast cancer for the second time.

“Cancer doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care if you're old or young. It's not bothered what your life looks like, where you're from or if people rely on you.

“It robs people of their futures. Fighting cancer is a deeply personal battle but together, in whatever small way, we can help by raising money to support life-saving research and genuinely change the future for many.”

Michelle Allen said: “Jo has been my best friend for eight or nine years, she’s like the sister I never had. We’re not the brave ones - she is.

“I always wanted to shave my head once in my life. I’ll be wearing a hat from Monday, so if people want to see my shaved head, they’ll have to donate!”

Jo, who is just over halfway through her current course of treatment, was determined to attend the event and happily did the honours to shave her friends heads.

She said: “I’m proud to call these wonderful human beings my friends and find it heartwarming that they want to support me and to raise much needed funds for MacMillan.

“I have no choice in whether I lose my hair but these guys have chosen to shave their hair off which is an incredibly brave thing to do.

“Please sponsor them, if you can, as every penny helps to give a cancer patient such as myself a better outcome.

To date the trio have raised around £1500. If you’d like to donate visit the Team Jo Laking Brave the Shave fundraising page at https://bravetheshave.macmillan.org.uk/shavers/team-jo-laking.