VIDEO - Victoria cuts it short for charity - Sleaford woman has head shave and plans cycle ride for Parkinson's UK

Victoria Pemberton before it is all cut off by Joanne Fish. EMN-160102-114621001

A civil servant from Sleaford made the cut for charity before pushing off on a 500km bike ride across south-east Asia.

Victoria Pemberton, 45, lives in Aylesbury but comes from Sleaford where her family and parents, Richard and Pat Clarke, still live.

Her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008 and is currently in Grantham Hospital with a broken hip and complications with infection after a fall, but he and Pat regularly attend the weekly meetings of Sleaford Parkinson’s Support Group at the Solo Club in town.

Victoria decided to raise money for the group by being sponsored to have her head shaved on Friday at the group meeting by hairdresser Jo Fish, of Vamp Hair on Northgate, whose father also has the disease and attends the group.

Victoria said: “With everyone’s help we have raised just over £2,600 so far, which is fantastic.” People can still donate at: www.justgiving.com/Victoria-Pemberton2

The long hair cut off will be donated to the Little Princess Trust to be made into a wig for children undergoing treatment for cancer.

Victoria added: “Everyone has been really supportive. I just wanted to raise money for Parkinson’s research and raise awareness. I have done a few things for charity before and was looking for something different.”

Her husband came up with the idea of the head shave. Victoria said: “My dad didn’t like the idea of having my head shaved. I have always had long hair so it is a big deal. Now it feels really weird and I’m not much of a hat wearer but I have quite a selection now to keep away the January cold.”

Andrew Key presenting a cheque for ?300 on behalf of The Heckington Players to Pat Clarke and her daughter Victoria when they attended the Players' production of Puss in Boots at Heckington Village Hall. EMN-160102-103435001

It was back to work this week under a head scarf in the corridors of power in Whitehall for Victoria, however, she will be heading to warmer climes next week on an eight-day, 500km cycle ride for Parkinson’s UK from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Angkor Wat in Cambodia as part of a group expedition with a company called Discover Adventure. “I have paid for the trip so all money donated will go to the charity,” she said. “I see it as a way of raising awareness and as a challenge to see a country I would not normally see, as well as bringing business to their local economy.”

The money should help support a Parkinson’s sufferer for at least a couple of weeks.

On the way she will stop to view the ancient temples and the infamous ‘Killing Fields’.

On Friday evening Heckington Players presented a cheque of £300 raffle proceeds during their pantomime Puss in Boots at the village hall to Victoria and mum Pat for the Sleaford support group.