Student shaves head for wounded soldiers

A Bromsgrove schoolboy has shaved off his long blonde hair to raise money for the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM), which treats injured soldiers.

After watching the BBC’s “Wounded” documentary, which showed the plight of military personnel injured in the line of duty, 15-year-old Eddie Berwick was inspired to raise money for the RCDM fund held by UHB Charities [now the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity], the official charity of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

Eddie, a student at North Bromsgrove High School, says shaving his hair is not something he takes lightly after all the time it’s taken to grow to such to great length. However, after seeing the injuries suffered by young British soldiers, he was compelled to help.

Eddie first became interested in the plight of our forces when he met a friend of the family, Second World War veteran Jim Taylor, when he was six-years-old. Since that point he has taken an interest in the armed forces and the effects of war. Eddie thinks that he has had an event like this planned for at least nine years - the last time he had his hair cut!

Local businesses are getting involved too, with Chapters Hair volunteering their services free of charge. Chris Amos, owner of the salon on High Street, Bromsgrove, jumped at the chance to help out after hearing Eddie’s story.

Following the BBC’s “Wounded” programme there has been an increased awareness and interest in the life-saving work of the medical staff at the RCDM and Eddie is sure his fellow students and Bromsgrove locals will be eager to raise a substantial sum of money for the centre.