A fundraising campaign involving a head shave has exceeded expectations by collecting three times its initial goal to benefit a counsellor currently receiving cancer treatment.

Five individuals affiliated with the homelessness organisation Emmaus Hastings and Rother underwent shaving at the Emmaus Superstore located in St Leonards-on-Sea.

The initiative generated donations for Macmillan Cancer Support as a tribute to Zoe, who previously worked as a counsellor and is now undergoing cancer care.

The campaign had established an initial fundraising target of £250.

Contributions have surpassed that figure by more than threefold, with the group now aiming to achieve £1,000 in total donations.

Janine Woodland, Support Lead at Emmaus Hastings and Rother and one of the participants in the shaving event, explained that solidarity represents a core element of the charity’s mission, emphasising the importance of standing alongside individuals experiencing vulnerability or hardship.

According to Woodland, Zoe provided counselling services to residents at the Emmaus Hastings and Rother community.

Following her cancer diagnosis, Zoe expressed that she had no strong preferences regarding the fundraiser’s nature, only requesting that her hair be preserved.

The fundraising team indicated that the money raised serves as recognition of the challenges faced daily by Zoe and numerous others dealing with similar health circumstances.