The teenage daughter of a Uttoxeter factory worker has selflessly shaved off her gorgeous long locks to make wigs for seriously-ill young children.

Debbie Shenton, the HR manager at Fox's Biscuits, has spoken of her pride that daughter Tabitha Wilton has seen fit to sacrifice her head of brown hair to help those less fortunate.

Tabitha chose to help the Little Princess Trust because she "wanted to make a difference", the charity's bosses said.

Tabitha's flowing locks were sacrificed
Tabitha's flowing locks were sacrificed

They revealed the 19-year-old wanted to share her hair with children that had lost their own through cancer treatment or illness, while raising £500 in sponsorship.

Staff at the Cheadle Road factory, which employs hundreds of Uttoxeter workers, played an important role by sponsoring her in her efforts.

Debbie said: "I am incredibly proud of my daughter and I think it’s fantastic that Tabitha has reached her target and donated her lovely hair to further support this amazing charity."

Tabitha Wilton, 19-year-old daughter of Fox's, Uttoxeter, HR manager Debbie Shenton, who completed the Little Princess Trust challenge to donate hair to children who have lost theirs through illness
Tabitha Wilton, 19, completed the Little Princess Trust challenge

Tabitha, who lives in Meir, just along the A50 towards Stoke-on-Trent, said the Little Princess Trust's cause had struck a chord with her.

She said: "Like most teenage girls I adore my hair and making the decision to shave this off was not easy. I've encouraged family and friends to donate absolutely any amount to this outstanding cause and everyone's been very supportive.

"Our hair is an enormous part of who we are and although mine will grow back, there are some children that sadly lose theirs due to illness.

"I hope by donating my hair we can make a small difference and allow somebody somewhere to feel a little more like themselves again. I love my hair, yes, but my hair will grow back and a child may feel free in themselves.

Fox's Biscuits, Uttoxeter
Fox's Biscuits, Uttoxeter

"They may feel that something as simple as a wig is one of the first of many good steps and my hair my truly change lives."

More information about Tabitha's cause, and the chance to donate, is available online at here

A charity spokseman said: "The Little Princess Trust provides real hair wigs free of charge to children across the UK and Ireland that have sadly lost their own hair due to cancer treatment and other illness. They have given away 5,000 real hair wigs to sick children in the last decade. For more information visit the website here"

How the Little Princess Trust is helping children through their illnesses

The Little Princess Trust has been established for a relatively-small amount of time compared to many charities in the UK.

It is little more than a decade old, having been launched in 2006 by the parents of a little girl suffering from cancer in Hereford.

Hannah Tarplee died in 2005 after being diagnosed with a Wilms tumour - which is a type of kidney cancer. During her treatment, Hannah found losing her hair traumatic and wearing her wig was a huge comfort.

Her mum and dad, Wendy and Simon, received a raft of financial and practical help from their community after Hannah's tragic death.

Having found it difficult to track down a good-quality wig for Hannah, they decided to use that support to start the charity. The trust has now helped thousands of children, working with suppliers throughout the UK and Ireland to acquire beautiful, real-hair wigs.

When funds allow, the charity now also provides cash for research into the causes of childhood cancers and minimising the effects of chemotherapy in children.

The Trust employs six part-time and five full-time workers, and is supported by an army of volunteers. For those who want to lend their support to the charity, they can get in touch by calling 01432 352359.

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