Whanganui's Suzuki men shaving lockdown growth for charity

When Covid-19 lockdown hit in March six men from Suzuki New Zealand put their razors away.

With the country now in alert level 1 the group are planning to shed their hair and beards as a fundraiser.

It was automobile sales executive Graham Wilson's idea to raise funds for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Now he says he's beginning to look like Kenny Rogers, or Tim Allen in The Santa Clause.

"Some people have kept it tidy and respectable. I haven't. I have gone for woolly," he said.

He's finding the facial hair annoying.

"It's getting to the point where my children don't want to give me a kiss good night. As a father, that's not ideal."

The fundraiser started with an online meeting at the start of lockdown in March.

No one had been shaving, and they decided to keep that up.

Wilson is joined by Gary Collins, Simon Terry, Peter Goldfinch, Nick Wilden and Richard Williams, and he's hoping to enlist Degan Wallace as well.

They plan to get together and lose their locks at the end of this month.

Each has an individual fundraising goal. It's been going so well that Wilson has just raised his from $700 to $1200.

He also raised the group goal from $2000 to $4000. People have been supportive, with one even donating from India.

Wilson has a long history of involvement with cancer charities. He first heard about leukaemia when a work colleague said he noticed bruises on his grandaughter's legs as she was opening her presents on Christmas morning.

It turned out she had leukaemia.

"She got over it, but it's incredibly scary from a parent's point of view."

His own dad died of cancer and Wilson organised teams in the Cancer Society Relay for Life.

He shaved all his hair off five years ago, to raise money, and two years ago he did the Sky Tower Challenge. It is Leukaemia & Blood Cancer's main fundraiser, but couldn't happen this year.

Suzuki New Zealand has a special link to the charity, and Wilson said everyone could relate to it on some level.

To donate, go to https://shaveforacure.everydayhero.com/nz/donate-to-team-suzuki