Much-loved Harrogate school staff member's amazing effort to support children's cancer charity

Carla Del Sarto has been a familiar face to countless pupils, parents and colleagues at Ashville College having worked there as a cleaner for more than two decades.

But that friendly face now looks a whole lot different - thanks to her latest initiative to support good causes at the heart of the community.

Carla has not had her hair cut since the initial COVID-19 lockdown more than three years ago - until this week, when a whopping 33 centimetres of hair was clipped off in aid of the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides real hair wigs to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions.

Carla kept her fundraiser and new look a surprise from her family and friends, until after she had her secret snip at Mandies Hair & Beauty on the town’s King’s Road.

“The original inspiration for lengthening my locks came when the first pandemic lockdown started in March 2020, when I decided to donate it all to the Little Princess Trust,” said Carla.

“Childhood cancer is an illness close to my heart, having supported one of my best friends in our home country of Argentina when she sadly lost her teenage daughter, Macarena, to this terrible disease.

“Macarena decided to have her hair cut before she started her cancer treatment and also donated it to create wigs for those who had lost their hair.

“By a quirk of fate, that was exactly five years to the day since I did exactly the same.”

The big haircut, performed by Mandies Hair & Beauty stylist Sev Ivanov, is the latest in a series of ventures that big-hearted Carla has undertaken to support good causes.

During lockdown, she joined Harrogate Scrubbers, a group that started making scrubs and other personal protection equipment (PPE) for staff at Harrogate District Hospital.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com and search Carla Del Sarto.