Gainsborough school boy braves the shave in memory of best friend

Zac Dickinson has his head shaved by headteacher Katie Barry.

Zac Dickinson, a pupil at St. George’s C of E Community Primary School, on Lindsey Close, lost his best friend Alfie Williams four years ago after battling a rare form of muscle cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma.

he school has honoured Alfie each year with a memorial after he passed away, aged seven, on June 13.

His final memorial where Zac, who is 11-years-old, had his hair shaved off, marked the year Alfie would have left the school.

Year six pupil Zac was greeted with a standing ovation by the crowd after his headteacher Katie Barry shaved his hair off on stage.

They were both wearing ‘We heart Alfie’ T-shirts at the event, which gave Alfie “a proper send off.”

Mrs Barry said: “He was very brave - it was completely shaved off.

“Alfie lost all of his hair when he was battling cancer so Zac wanted all of his off too.

Zac and Mrs Barry before his hair was lopped off.

“I set the clippers to zero so he now has no hair at all.”

Zac had been growing his hair for a year after deciding to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, and it was so long he could tie it up in a topknot.”

He has now raised £1,000 to help fund life-saving research.

The school also held a talent competition as part of the memorial. Children from years two to six showed off a “great variety of talent”.

It featured everything from comedy acts to pupils showing off their gymnastic skills.

Mrs Barry added that while it was the school’s final memorial for Alfie, he would “never be forgotten”.

Alfie, who left his parents Gareth and Sam Williams and brothers Henry and George, was hailed for his bravery by the community and was also the proud winner of the Little Trooper of the Month award and the Standard’s Child of Courage award, and mingled with celebrities such as Peter Andre at ceremonies.