Search

  • Visit & Contact
  • The Mill
  • Online Shop
  • Log In
  • My Account
  • Log Out

Your local charity in Lancashire

Patrons: Sir Bill Beaumont, Sir Duncan Nichol, Dr Lynne Livesey, Dr St John Crean, Mark Lawrenson and Tisha Merry

Donate
  • Care we provide
    • We help patients and families have quality of life, to the end of life.

    • Column
      • Back
      • the work of the charity is only possible because of the support it receives from the local community.

        Care at the hospice
      • Caring for people at home
      • Medical Outpatient Clinics
      • Lymphoedema clinic
        • Lymphoedema in babies, children and adolescents
      • Referrals and discharge
    • Column
      • Support for carers & family
      • Bereavement and Remembrance
      • Befriending service
      • Compassionate Communities
      • Covid-19 updates
  • Support us
    • Our care is only possible because of the support we receive.

    • Column
      • Back
      • The work of the charity is only possible because of the support it receives from the local community.

        Fundraise for us
        • Organise a fundraiser
        • Give money raised
        • Join in a hospice event
        • Global Adventure Challenges
      • Donate
        • Donation Form
        • Make a monthly donation
        • Make a one-off donation
        • Donate money raised
        • Pledge Gift Aid
      • Play the lottery
        • Lottery terms and conditions, legal information and advice
        • Join our lottery
        • Lottery results
        • Gift cards and wedding favours
        • Update your details
      • Wills
      • 1985 Business Club
    • Column
      • Charity shops
        • Find your nearest shop
        • Donate to our shops
        • Online Shop
      • Volunteering
      • Enter our raffle
      • Yellow Ribbons
  • Events
  • About us
    • We are an independent, local charity working in Central Lancashire.

    • Column
      • Back
      • Our purpose
      • Our team
      • Job vacancies
      • Knowledge Exchange
      • Resources for all
    • Column Two
      • The Mill cafe
      • Room hire
      • Give feedback
      • Lancashire and South Cumbria Hospices Together
      • Our plans
  • News
  • Remembrance Book
  • Donate
St Catherine's Hospice > Erin’s hair-raising stunt for St Catherine’s in honour of Leon

Erin’s hair-raising stunt for St Catherine’s in honour of Leon

A school-girl said goodbye to her lovely locks in a hair-raising stunt to support two special charities.

Seven-year-old Erin Gibbons’ tresses went down past her shoulders, but now she’s sporting a stylish bob following the transformation – carried out to raise funds for St Catherine’s Hospice in honour of family friend Leon Callon.

She’s also donating her locks to the Little Princess Trust who provide real hair wigs for children and young people who have lost their hair to cancer treatment and other illnesses.

Erin, a pupil at Lever House Primary School in Leyland, was inspired to do something to show her support by her parent’s friend Leon, who was battling a rare form of stomach cancer and sadly died last month (March) at the age of just 36.

Erin, who had around 12 inches cut off at Blow Out salon in Leyland, said: “I wanted to do something to help and got the idea from a YouTube video.

“I’ve never had my hair cut short so it feels very strange! I’m very happy with the money I’ve raised and it’s good that two different charities are being helped.”

Parents Jamie and Patrice, from Leyland, said they were ‘extremely proud’ of Erin for what she’d done and for working so hard to raise funds.

Jamie said: “It was all her own idea – she just came out with it one day that this is what she wanted to do.

“Everyone has been so generous with their sponsorship with the result she’s raised more than £2,000 which is incredible!”

Leon died at St Catherine’s Hospice in March. He’d been diagnosed with Gastro Intestinal Stomal Tumours in 2016 and told there was no cure – but it didn’t stop him fundraising tirelessly to help others facing similar circumstances.

Since then he and his family and friends – going by the name #TeamCallon – have raised more than £43,600 for the GIST Support Charity and St Catherine’s Hospice.

Other upcoming fundraisers in memory of Leon include a 133-mile bike ride along the Leeds to Liverpool canal and a friend taking part in the Edinburgh marathon, both next month (May).

Meanwhile, a gruelling ‘spin class a day for a year’ challenge, being undertaken by Leon’s friend Leanne Cawtherley, continues into its fifth month!

Emma Jacovelli, Head of Community Engagement at St Catherine’s, said: “We’re so proud of Erin for taking the plunge and having her hair cut off! The amount she has raised is fantastic and will make such a difference to the patients we care for.

“#TeamCallon continue to amaze us with their creativity and determination and we’re so grateful to each and every one of them for all their hard work and generosity. Leon’s legacy lives on in the care we are able to give to our community, thanks to all the wonderful funds raised in his honour.”

Back to News

Share with your friends!

Newsletter Signup

Sign up to our newsletter and receieve updates on our charity, successful fundraising events and much more!

Sign up

Sign up to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter and receieve updates on our charity, successful fundraising events and much more!

    Required

    Required

    Count me in!

    We'd love to keep in touch with you letting you know how your wonderful support is making a difference to St Catherine's, and informing you about other events and campaigns which might be of interest. We’re very proud of our ethical approach to fundraising and, rest assured, your information will be stored securely and we will not pass your details to any third party.

    Please let us know your preferred way(s) for us to contact you:

    Post

    Email

    Phone

    SMS Message

    For further information about how we use your data, please click here to read our privacy statement.

    Count me in!

    You’re a valued member of the St Catherine’s community and we’d love to keep in touch with all the latest news, events and campaigns from the charity. Let us know the best way to contact you by clicking below.

    Count me in!

    Visit Us

    Connect with us

    Connect with us on social media to keep up to date with the daily news from St Catherine’s and our cafe and community hub The Mill.

    Rate and review our services

    Patrons: Sir Bill Beaumont, Sir Duncan Nichol, Dr Lynne Livesey, Dr St John Crean, Mark Lawrenson and Tisha Merry

    © 2025 St Catherine’s Hospice Reg Charity No: 512186 Company Limited by Guarantee: 1602467

    • Privacy policy and use of Cookies
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Sitemap

    St Catherine’s Hospice, St Catherine’s Park, Lostock Lane, Lostock Hall, Preston, PR5 5XU

    Designed and built by BlueWrenBlueWren

    Boost your donation by 25%

    With Gift Aid, your donation of £ would be worth £ at no extra cost to you.

    Added to your basket

    Continue Shopping Go to Basket