Richie O'Connor, a devoted Everton fan, has raised over £1,000 through a unique fundraising effort.
In a show of support, the 61-year-old chef from Ellesmere Port decided to dye his hair, beard, and eyebrows red, while also shaving the letters “LFC” into the back of his head. Richie’s motivation for this admirable act stems from the loss of two dear friends and colleagues to cancer.
So far Richie has raised £1,165 online, and he’s got £180 he’s collected in cash.
“Most of my family and friends know I am an Evertonian but I dyed my hair red to raise money for such a brilliant cause.
It was only supposed to be a two-week challenge but one guy offered me an extra £20 if I kept it red until after the Carabao Cup as a good luck charm. So after their win against Chelsea I could become a mascot for Liverpool – they may even pay me to keep it red until the end of the season!”
His recent efforts have come after the tragic deaths of two people he knew at work.
“Lee Greenslade was a main kitchen porter who was only 44, and Trevor Povey, who worked in security, was only 52 and they both died last year from cancer, Lee only eight weeks after diagnosis. I was really saddened by it and it hurt me so much that I decided to do something.
I just want to raise as much as possible for a fantastic charity.”
Richie is no stranger to dyeing his hair to raise funds for Clatterbridge – he raised over £500 in 2016 after he turned his hair pink and then had it all shaved off two weeks later.
We’re so grateful for everything Richie has done for Clatterbridge – in particular, this year by going red! He’s helped to raise over £1,600 to date to help fund research, and support services and innovations in care at Clatterbridge for those with cancer in our region – both now, and in the future. We can’t wait to see what hair challenge is next for Richie!
