Hair goes for Hogmanay as Borderer thanks charity for help

A Borderer plans to baldly go forth into the new year by having her hair shaved off for charity in memory of her late husband.
Borders General Hospital office worker Gillian Dobbie, 53, of Bonchester Bridge.Borders General Hospital office worker Gillian Dobbie, 53, of Bonchester Bridge.
Borders General Hospital office worker Gillian Dobbie, 53, of Bonchester Bridge.

Gillian Dobbie, 53, is having her head shaved to raise funds for the charity MND Scotland.

She will be for the chop on Hogmanay in memory of her late husband John, killed by motor neurone disease in January this year, as that would have been his 64th birthday.

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Gillian’s New Year’s Eve haircut is part of MND Scotland’s Making a Difference campaign calling on supporters across the country to make a pledge for 2018 to push themselves out of their comfort zones to help the charity.

Originally from Edinburgh but now living in Bonchester Bridge, Gillian is an office administrator at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

She is mum to chef James, 29, of New Zealand, and receptionist Jenni, 23, of Edinburgh.

She said: “I will shave my hair off on Old Year’s Night, which would have been John’s 64th birthday. He was born in December 1953, so I aim to raise £1,953 for MND Scotland.

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“I will also be donating my ponytail to the Little Princess Trust.”

Gillian will have her ponytail cut off by her daughter before having the rest of her hair shaved off by her friend Arlene Mitchell at the Stag’s Head pub in Hawick.

John was diagnosed with the terminal disease in 2007 but managed to survive for a further decade.

“John and I have both benefited from grants from MND Scotland, so I just wanted the chance to give something back,” said Gillian.

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“The biggest challenge was dealing with the physical deterioration, which caused John to lose his independence.

“He coped amazingly well considering the frustration he must have felt.

“We held a dominoes fundraiser at the Stag’s Head in April 2016, which was a tremendous success, and John even ventured out of the house for the first time in months to attend.”

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