TWO good causes close to a Whitland woman’s heart have been boosted by £2,230 after she took part in a charity head shave.

A large crowd of supporters gathered at the town’s Station Inn last month to witness Monica Thomas saying a temporary farewell to her crowning glory.

Thanks to overwhelming support from friends and well-wishers, she has been able to make two large donations to St Mary’s Church, Whitland, where she is a member, and the Neuro Inflammatory team at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, which provides a regional support, advice and information service for patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

“I was diagnosed with MS back in 1990, when there wasn’t much information about it,” said Monica. “But now I have a wonderful MS nurse, and I am getting so much help, that I wanted to give something back.”

The Vicar of Whitland, the Rev Kingsley Taylor, and Monica‘s MS nurse, Sue Ruddock, have now been presented with cheques of £1,115 each for the church and the team.

“People’s response to my fundraising was absolutely wonderful,” said Monica, who is cared for by her husband Gil. “I raised far more than I thought, and it’s still coming in. We even had another £6 after we had presented the cheques.

“All I did was sit in the hairdresser’s chair, but it raised a lot of money and was an amazing experience. I haven’t minded being without my hair at all, and it made people smile

“I won’t be doing it again in a hurry, though; it’s taken it out of me a bit!”