YOUNG fundraiser Ciaran Hanks has raised over £800 for the Teenage Cancer Trust by braving the shave and losing all his hair – but he wasn’t the only one to end the day with a shiny new head!
Joining 12-year old Ciaran in having his head shaved was his father Jason Hanks, who had pledged to take part if Ciaran raised more than £500. Also, on the day of the shave, which took place at Oakfields stadium after the Melksham Town’s win over Badshot Leas in the FA Cup, fellow Town supporter, Jackie Fordham, decided to join in on the action.
“Ciaran was allowed to collect money during the match on Saturday and Jackie helped him by going around with the bucket,” explained Ciaran’s mum, Caroline Hanks. “Before they started, Jackie said that if they collected £100 or more during the match that she would also have her head shaved – subsequently they collected £335.35!”
The money collected at the match and the amount raised online brings Ciaran’s grand total for the Teenage Cancer Trust to £879.
“I’m very proud of what I have done, said Ciaran. “It’s been the best challenge I have done for the amount of money raised. My head feels a little bit strange without any hair, but hopefully it will soon grow back; it’s a small price to pay for helping youngsters less fortunate than myself.
“Thank you to dad and Jackie for joining in with the shave, a big thank you to Mark Cooper for actually shaving us all and donating to the cause. A huge thank you to everyone who has donated and supported me, your kindness and generosity means a lot to me and will definitely help youngsters battling this awful disease.”
Ciaran’s father, Jason, added, “I feel honoured to support Ciaran in his challenge. I agreed to join him when he reached his target of £500, I never thought that he would reach a final figure well over £800.
“He’s an amazing young man, he’s my hero, he’s raised over £2,000 for charities since August 2016 and takes everything in his stride, I’m so proud of him.”
The headshave is one of many fundraising events organised by Ciaran, who is well-known for his swimming challenges. Since 2016 he has swam the equivalent length of Loch Ness and the River Thames and has been joined in his fundraising efforts by the likes of British Paralympian swimmer, Stephanie Millward, and members of Melksham Town
Pictures by Estelle Bowden.
![Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.](https://scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/505444438_18038424887647822_3264519508333556874_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=gXZQJoHTNiEQ7kNvwHezuPI&_nc_oc=AdlrJvMDapuork_EjycPOcegNeMnCA37GEIudkxkTeCfTgvB5iijE05ojpwlYCd5gN8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=2ejTZ6D9dPXIFkdtQ-bGfg&oh=00_AfMePUYDK6PXDzeUYs-aKY4wfMPOaURY8Z6OwO7o8TXJSA&oe=685718CA "Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.")
