It was a beard shave with a significant difference for Santa Peter Love, for the first time in many years the long-standing Rotarian was indisposed and unable to undertake his customary Santa duties last Christmas. Whilst Peter was bitterly disappointed to have missed the traditional Santa season, the annual fundraising beard shave still took place as Peter’s Rotary club Shrewsbury Severn agreed to sponsor the beard shave in support of the Lingen Davies Cancer Charity.
“What’s so frustrating this time is that the beard is longer and even more bushy than it has ever been,” he said today.
“Throughout the weeks of growing the beard in the run-up to Christmas I was really pleased with its appearance and looking forward to playing my part in the fundraising, so come December it was extremely disappointing that I would be unable to fulfil Santa slots in the Rotary club’s rota and therefore play my part in helping to provide Christmas joy, particularly for the children. I am most grateful to Rotary and its members for stepping in to sponsor the beard shave and fulfilling a fundraising promise,” adding: “I am also, however, reluctant to lose this very warm hair in stormy weather.”
He has dedicated his latest beard shave to the memory of fellow Rotarian Bunny Parker who passed away on Monday (January 22).
Peter expressed thanks to Matt Glover of hairdressers Risdon’s Barbers of Shrewsbury Market Hall for once again performing the beard shave.
Whilst 2023 was a Santa non-starter for Peter, he is hoping for better luck this next December.
Said club president Rotarian David Morris: ”Whilst we badly missed all of Peter’s Santa support work this year it was good to find out that during this period his beard did still carry on growing – and with considerable vigour! We are really hoping that Peter’s record hair growth will also produce a record level of donations from all of our friends, generous partners and supporters. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everybody who has offered their financial support this year, and we do hope that Peter will be returning to his normal Santa support work when we start to celebrate Christmas at the end of the current year. Shrewsbury badly needs him as the donations received will be carefully distributed to a wide range of locally deserving causes – all of which are having a difficult time at the moment. All of us at Shrewsbury Severn Rotary are determined to carry on supporting them.”
Anyone who would like to know more about Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club can contact gdmw@hotmail.co.uk
