AN OSWESTRY hairdresser has put her skills to the test to shave her head for charity.

Helen Jones, 48, shaved her head last week, raising more than £1,000 for disability charity Sense.

She was inspired to take on the challenge for Sense because of her own experience with hearing loss and as a Cochlear Implant wearer.

She says the challenge was to develop her confidence in showing off her implant.

She said: “I felt confident about the head shave.

"The challenge for me is having my Cochlear Implant on show.

"I shaved my hair to raise awareness of this charity as being deaf and blind is something none of us could imagine.”

Helen began to slowly lose her hearing sixteen years ago and was fitted with a bone-anchoring hearing aid, called a Cochlear Implant, after several operations.

Over the years she has experienced times of isolation and feelings of vulnerability which resulted in her often hiding her Cochlear Implant which is visible on the side of her head.

Lockdown and hearing other disabled people’s experiences of isolation inspired her to take on this challenge and fundraise for Sense which supports people with complex disabilities including those who are deafblind.