Shavepril 2015

Ian Phillips (Figgis) and I would love your support to assist brainstrust generate some funds.  brainstrust (www.brainstrust.org.uk) is the charity that has provided Fig with great support since his brain tumour diagnosis over 5 years ago.  We've persuaded brainstrust to collaborate with us on what we hope will be the next big sponsorship driven charity campaign.

'Fig' and I discussed the challenge that was to help as always communicate more awareness to the nation of the traumatic effect cancer has on its sufferers and families whilst generating more empathy than previous campaigns and raising funds to assist in financing research and support in treatment.

The idea here broadly is hopefully the step-change needed after recent campaigns like 'the ice bucket challenge'.  We believe this is the next level required to touch peoples hearts and minds without reinventing the wheel.  We think this should mainly target men, an audience we have assumed is a little less aware and a bit more challenging to communicate with, although we believe this project idea could involve some bolder and braver women taking part too.

An insight or snapshot is that for the month of April, participants in the challenge would be encouraged to shave their heads or long attached beards to the skin or as short as possible at least a No1 on the 'hedge cutters'!  We're calling it Shavepril for now, @shavepril, #shavepril2015.  "Shave, donate, nominate"

We're hoping it is goin to be very social network friendly, as participants can post their shaved sweeds on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram in the form of a "before" and "after" shaving photograph, followed by a £10 donation and a pre-determined nomination to someone who has agreed to participate prior to the live nomination.

It's in a month that's far enough away from 'Movember' to achieve traction and in a warmer month for those exposing their bonces.  

We believe 'Movember' has maybe run it's course, and promoting growing hair, which never actually happens in the treatment of cancer to our knowledge, is just a bit odd.  We're not aware of patients symptoms, of any disease, feeling like they've had a bucket of iced water poured on their heads either!!! 

We believe this is a far more empathetic and compassionate way of communicating the issues of chemotherapy treatment surrounding the condition that is cancer, a disease that 'Fig' continues to battle so bravely presently.  

We've put a plan in place to engage with some Welsh personalities for the campaign.  People who would make the vast transition to baldness that would super-charge the awareness of the initiative to the younger audience especially.  Adam Jones for example, the Welsh prop would be a great 'before and after' shot.  We're still chasing you Adam!!!

What we really need now is to get your commitment and compassion on board with this by pledging your support by committing to shave your head.  You can also help massively by spreading the word and help us recruit people within your own networks of friends, family, associates and colleagues who would participate and thus support this campaign and help us generate lots of donations and cash for the charity.

The campaign will be live and start on Thursday, April 2nd, 2015.  It would active for the entire month of April.  'Fig' and I will be in Windsor Barbers on Windsor Place in Cardiff on the afternoon of Thursday, 2nd of April to get our bonces shaved and polished!  Anyone wanting a synchronised trime then please get in touch at shavepri2015@gmail.com and we'll organise your Shavepril cut!  To baldness and beyond! 

You can find us on Facebook if you search for Shavepril and we're on Twitter @shavepril or #shavepril2015 and you can donate by texting HAIR22 to 70070 too!

Be great to hear you're on board the Shavepril ship, please let us know.

We'd really appreciate your help with this.

Best wishes,

Antony and Ian

(Spuddy & Fig)

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