The Gift of Grey: Meet our Latest Silver Hair Donator!

Since spreading the word about our search for natural silver hair, we’ve been lucky enough to speak with many generous women hoping to help our cause. Silver hair donation is often discouraged by charities such as The Little Princess Trust as it is unsuitable for their recipients. At Mandeville, we saw a unique opportunity to encourage these grey hair donations to our wig studio (where silver strands are a precious commodity)! In fact, manyof our clients are looking for that perfect cool grey, free from chemicals, toners and yellowing.

As a small business rather than a charity, we pledge to make a charitable donation to The Little Princess Trust for every bundle of silver hair donated to us. The Little Princess Trust is a valuable and deserving charity, that benefits greatly from both non-grey hair donations and financial charitable contributions. We’re proud to support them with this new initiative. Understanding the life-altering effects of both hair loss and wig-wearing, we’re so pleased to be a small part of this very meaningful process and are continuously grateful for your support.

This week, we’d love to introduce you to our latest silver hair donator Rachel, a Palliative Care Hospice Nurse from Leeds.

"I decided to get a buzz cut a month or so ago as a fundraiser for my work place, Overgate Hospice which has just opened the doors of its new state of the art in-patient unit. This was made possible through the incredibly generous donations from its community. I have so far raised £1400 which will help fund the landscaping of the gardens that surround the beautifully designed patients' rooms. As an allotment holder, I know the therapeutic power that being close to nature and greenery can bring. So that spurred me on! I had also been considering a dramatic hair style change for a while so it seemed the obvious way to go.

My mother had no choice about losing her hair during breast cancer treatment and enjoyed wearing a wig. It allowed her to experiment with different personas! She had a friend who was a keen photographer who encouraged mum to get dressed up in outfits from different eras, aided by her glamorous wig. They had great fun. Looking at it from another angle, as a palliative care nurse, I have seen how devastated people can feel when they lose their hair through chemotherapy. A wig can allow them to regain confidence and self-belief at a very challenging time. On a personal note, it has taken a while to grow my grey hair long and at times, when it has been especially unruly, it has been hard work! I didn't want to waste all that effort so decided to donate it. However, I was slightly appalled to discover that grey hair is not accepted by all charitable organisations, and I'm not sure why that is. Surely the older age groups need hair that is appropriate to them?? I was delighted to find Mandeville Hair and even more delighted to learn that they donate to the Little Princess Trust on receipt of a donation.

I had a buzz cut once before in my 20's and enjoyed changing my appearance every so often by sporting a wig in the style of a black bob. Back to the present: I put my head in the capable hands of my hairdresser John Yates Hair who did the original shave as well. It took a lot longer than I anticipated as it had to be put into lots of mini ponytails before being snipped off. My daughter and husband were there to support me and Meryl enjoyed making a reel for Instagram. I'm absolutely loving the freedom that no hair brings. No post swim stress, morning hair disasters or shower cap hassles. My straighteners, hairdryer and bobbles are having a well-deserved rest!"

Thank you Rachel for your generous donation! We're in awe of your capacity to squeeze every last bit of goodness out of this challenge and look forward to passing it forwards to our clients here at Mandeville, as well as the Little Princess Trust.

If you'd like to donate your silver hair, make sure it's at least 8 inches in length (on top of the hair you want to be left with)! To find out if your hair meets our other donation requirements, please email us a picture to contact@mandevillelondon.com so we can advise you further. To donate non-silver grey hair, please visit The Little Princess Trust for their donation guidelines.

FAQs

Can I donate my grey hair?

Yes please! Grey hair is not accepted by certain charities but here at Mandeville where grey hair is in high demand, we'd appreciate your donation and pledge to pass on a charitable financial donation to The Little Princess Trust.

Is my grey hair eligible for donation?

We are very interested in your grey hair if it is at least 8 inches in length (not including the hair you'd like to keep post-donation)! It should be free from bleach, chemicals and blue/purple toners and rinses. It should be devoid of very yellow tones from smoking and other lifestyle and environmental factors. If you are unsure, please do get in touch alongside a photo so we can advise you further.

Why can't I donate my grey hair to The Little Princess Trust directly?

Whilst some blends might be accepted, The Little Princess Trust and other similar charities tend to work with infant to young adult clients, making silver grey hair an inappropriate choice for their age range. This is why we started our own initiative whereby The Little Princess Trust can still benefit financially from the grey hair contributions made to Mandeville London.