When it comes to fundraising methods, 10-year-old Wimborne schoolboy, Joseph Mumford-Chell is a cut above.
Wanting to do something to help the children suffering in Ukraine, he hatched a plan that will end up helping not just them, but children with cancer, too.
Having never had his hair cut since the day he was born, Joseph’s luxuriant locks were so long that he tied them back in a pony tail so he decided the time had come to have them cut off to raise money for children’s charities.
The result was manyfold.
Money raised from his cut of kindness, including considerable pledged cash boosts from family and friends, will be donated to charitable organisations, including War Child and Unicef and Joseph’s severed plait of hair has already been sent to the Little Princess Trust to make realistic-looking wigs for youngsters losing their hair due to cancer treatments.
When I call to speak with him at his grandmother Jill’s house, he is on his computer like a typical 10-year-old but he’s happy to forgo the lure of the screen to talk about his head-turning project.
I ask how he felt when Becky, the stylist at Swaffield’s barbers, went to work with the scissors.

“I was nervous and excited but I like it, it feels easy. We measured the plait and it was 12 inches.”
Most of Joseph’s teachers and friends at Allenbourn School approve of his new look.
“They said it was good and they said I looked like this other boy in school.”
On how he hoped it would help the children, he replies: “I hope that one day we won’t need to raise money because there will be peace.”
And what would he say if he could speak to Ukrainian people?
“Take this money and have a good life,” he answers with the endearing optimism of a child.
On where his inspiration came from, he says: “My Grumpy always helped people. He was so kind and he loved Ukraine and he helped Ukrainian people before so that’s why I wanted to do it.”
‘Grumpy’ was the nickname of Joseph’s late grandfather, Tim Mumford, the much-loved headteacher of Beaucroft School, Colehill, from 1978 to 1992.
Jill, his wife and former head of Hampreston First School, says the grandchildrens’ pet name for him was ironic since ‘he was the least grumpy person on Earth.’
Tim was involved in global aid missions, including with the War Child charity and he was part of the Convoy of Hope that travelled to Ukraine to assist with the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Joseph says: “I know he did a lot to help and Unicef, I know is a good charity, too.”
And on that subject, Jill has exciting news about Joseph’s big adventure so far: “Yesterday we paid in £1,000 to Unicef and £1,000 to War Child!
“To make things even more exciting, apparently the Government is doubling donations – certainly to War Child!
On the other charity benefitting, Joseph says: “I
heard about the Little Princess Trust (his sister also donated some hair to them), so I just thought I should do it.”
As a parting shot, I ask whether his long hair had ever got in the way, to which he replies, “Yes, with a toy remote-control snake!”

by Lorraine Gibson