Meet High Peak's Three Musketeers!.....women in sponsored head-shaves to support cancer-hit friend

‘All for one and one for all’ was very much the motto that came to mind when one of them, Tracey Furness, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May.

For two of her close pals, Mary Lingard, of Litton, and Gill Lomas, of Peak Dale, decided to show their ultimate commitment to a friendship spanning almost 20 years.

Tracey was facing a programme of intense treatment, which would mean losing her long hair. So Mary and Gill, in support, decided to sacrifice their own locks too and raise money at the same time by signing up for Brave The Shave initiative, run by Macmillan Cancer Support.

The initiative enabled them to collect sponsors for their head-shaves, so they could stand proudly alongside Tracey. And on the very day their friend underwent a session of chemotherapy in hospital, they gathered family and friends together at Mary’s home to go under the scissors!

Afterwards, they decided that, as they had never previously had a single photograph taken of themselves together, they would put that right and stage a special photoshoot as a memorable keepsake.

Amazingly, more than £2,200 was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. An overwhelmed Tracey said: “We would like to thank all our families, friends and sponsors for their tremendous support. Also, a huge thankyou to Barry Derbyshire, of Derbyshire Photographics, for our fun-packed day.

“Donations can still be made by visiting Brave The Shave online and typing in either Mary or Gill’s name.”