Paul to shave head in aid of charity

THE CO-OWNER of an award-winning Devon gastropub will shave his head in aid of charity this month (May, 2020).

Paul Berry, who co-owns The Swan in Bampton with his wife and fellow award-winning chef Donna, will be braving the shave on May 17 to raise money for Churches Housing Action Team (CHAT).

He said: “As I can’t get to a barbers at the moment and, like many other people are doing, I thought I would shave my head, however, I have decided to do it in aid of a very worthy cause.

“I’ll be going live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSwanBampton on Sunday, May 17 at 8pm for the event and handing over the razor to Donna, who is more than happy to oblige.

“Anyone who would like to see my new look is being urged to donate ahead of the live event at https://bit.ly/360Qynu. I have already reached my target of £500 and would love it if I could reach £1,000. Anything anyone can spare at the moment will be gratefully received.

“If anyone in the local area would like to put together food parcels or boxes for the charity and drop them at the pub with us before Monday, May 18, we’ll ensure they’re donated too.”

CHAT, which is now in its 25th year, has been working since 1995 to tackle homelessness, help people avoid evictions and bring hope to the communities of mid-Devon. All of its services are provided free of charge by a dedicated team of trained staff, supported by knowledgeable volunteers.

It believes everyone is entitled to decent, secure and affordable housing.

Mark Bailey, Development Manager at CHAT, said: “It’s fabulous that Paul has taken on this personal challenge and involved his whole community. He is both raising funds and awareness of the current plight of people who may become homeless, as people may get into debt, as some employers may not be able to retain all their staff, people may lose jobs, and depending on decisions made by the government, people can come to CHAT for support.

“Our current demand for both advice and food is continually rising and we thank Paul for his tremendous fundraiser.”

Paul’s head shave will take place live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSwanBampton on Sunday, May 17 at 8pm.

To find out more about The Swan, please call 01398 332248 or visit www.theswan.co.