Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

During lockdown, it was always interesting to see during Zoom meetings just how much everyone’s hair had grown without the regular trips to the hairdresser. Katie Hancock, Associate Solicitor, already had long hair but she said it grew ‘so much’ during lockdown, that she decided to have it chopped off and donate it to the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. Since 2006, it has supplied more than 8000 wigs to children and young people and has invested circa £5 million into ground-breaking childhood cancer research.

The Little Princess Trust was established by the parents of Hannah Tarplee, their friends and Hereford Cathedral Junior School.

In 2004 Hannah was diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour. Hannah loved her hair and losing it was very traumatic for her. Her parents, Wendy and Simon, searched for a wig suitable for Hannah and, when they found one, it had a hugely positive effect on their daughter.

Tragically, Hannah passed away in 2005 and, with so many kind offers of financial and practical help, Wendy and Simon felt the most fitting tribute would be to launch a charity dedicated to providing real hair wigs for children and young people.

So inspired was Katie’s daughter Florence when she found out about the work of the Little Princess Trust, that she decided to donate her hair too and is just waiting for her appointment.

The average wig costs around £550 to make, so Katie and Florence have set a target of raising that figure. You can sponsor them here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/k-hancock