Plymstock mum Kay Tolley wanted to do something memorable to celebrate her 25 years working at the Cut Above Barbers Shop – so she decided to raise funds for the charity SADS UK.
She chose that charity because her close friend’s 18 year old daughter died suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this year.
Kay started working at Cut Above – which is located in Dean Cross Road – when she was 26 in 1997. She had decided it was time to seek employment after leaving a top salon in the city to start a family. Her baby daughter Lucy was just 10 months old and finances were tight.
The position at Cut Above became available local to her home and it wasn’t what she really wanted, but thought it would be e temporary measure until she found a local hairdressing position.
Kay said:
“I never imagined that I would end up buying the business, but that’s what I did six years ago when the previous owner Roy Dike retired. I’m proud to say we believe its the oldest established barber’s shop in Plymstock and the surrounding area.
“To make my 25th anniversary at Cut Above more meaningful I held a charity event day for the charity SADS UK which deals with unexpected sudden death.
“In the summer my good friend Annemarie Edmonds, who owns The Blitz Cafe, which is located under Cut Above, suffered a tragic loss. Without any warning lost her beautiful daughter Cody at the very young age of 18. It was so tragic as she had flourished into a fun loving beautiful young lady and had found real joy and contentment in her career as a carer.
“The total shock, disbelief, pain and devastation of losing Cody will affect Annemarie and her family’s lives forever. SADS UK provides essential help and support for families in such situations,” added Kay.
She set up a Just Giving page for donations and also contributed all the profits from the business for the day towards the fundraising. She encouraged customers to help celebrate her landmark in the business by making a donation.
Her efforts raised raised almost £1000 for the charity and Kay also raised extra funds for the charity Young Lives versus Cancer, in memory of James Marlow, a 21-year-old from Plymouth who died in the same week as Cody. Kay said:
“James was an inspirational young man who was a devoted Christian.”
