Going, going, gone: Colten Care's Jess loses her locks for a good cause

Healthcare assistant from Belmore Lodge Lymington braves the shave for Macmillan Cancer Support 

A member of the care team at Lymington's Colten Care home Belmore Lodge raised nearly £800 for a cancer charity by braving a head shave.

Healthcare Assistant Jess Wild thanked all who contributed to her initiative which was in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Before, during and after

Jess said: “I braved the shave in memory of a few people including a mentor whose strong mind and courage I’ll admire for the rest of my life, my grandmother who will forever be my guardian angel, and everyone else who has ever been affected by cancer.

“My grand total is £782. I am so honoured to be surrounded by such generous and kind people. Thank you to all who supported me.”

Jess’s sister Alex Bingham did the honours with the clippers.  

Belmore Lodge resident Maureen Marks said: “This was a truly hair-raising experience for Jess but she is a good sport and took the ‘close shave’ in her stride.”

Residents at Belmore Lodge and Colten Care’s 20 other care homes in the south will also be raising money for Macmillan by taking part in the annual World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in September.

Before, during and after - images

BEFORE. Thumbs up as Jess Wild, Healthcare Assistant at Colten Care’s Lymington home Belmore Lodge, awaits her head shave in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

DURING. Colten Care Healthcare Assistant Jess Wild has her head shaved at Belmore Lodge by sister Alex Bingham.

AFTER. Jess Wild after her charity head shave at Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge in Lymington.

4 weeks for the price of 3 in a New Forest Colten Care home 

Try care home living for yourself or your loved one, at Colten Care's expense. All Colten Care homes are currently offering 4 weeks for the price of 3, so why not see for yourself what sets them apart - once you experience their comfort, care and companionship it's highly likely you'll want to stay longer!

Three of Colten's New Forest homes are rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission: Linden House specialist dementia care home in Lymington, Woodpeckers residential home in Brockenhurst and Kingfishers in New Milton.

Find out more about Colten Care

With more than 30 years’ experience, Colten Care is an award-winning family-owned care home company. It has 21 quality care homes covering Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Sussex and offers a range of services spanning residential, nursing and dementia care. Seven of the homes are rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and Colten Care earns a consistently high group score, currently 9.9 out of ten, on the public review site Carehome.co.uk. Based on such third-party advocacy, Colten Care is the UK’s highest-rated care home group for its size.

All Colten Care homes are registered for nursing care

All homes are registered for nursing care and four are dedicated dementia care homes with Admiral Nurse support. Unlike people who receive domiciliary care in their own homes, residents in Colten Care homes have the reassurance that 24/7 nurse-led care with companionship is on hand whenever they need it. Residents live in the highest standards of accommodation, enjoying homecooked food, fresh laundry and housekeeping services, and safe, peaceful and inspiring gardens. Colten Care also supports residents to raise thousands of pounds for charities of their choice every year. Founded more than 35 years ago, Colten Care has won multiple awards for the quality of its care and remains an independent, family-owned care home provider. For more information, visit www.ColtenCare.co.uk

Three Colten Care homes in the New Forest are rated outstanding

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the New Forest, three of which are rated Outstanding and three of which are in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House (Outstanding). There are also homes in Brockenhurst -Woodpeckers (Outstanding), New Milton - Kingfishers (Outstanding) and Mudeford - Avon Reach. Click on the links to find out more about each home...