When Jack, Charlie and Oscar Squires suddenly lost their dad last year they met a lovely couple who just seemed to know how to help.
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Melinda and Dave Graham did many things to support the boys and their mum Emily Squires and they have never forgotten how nice they are.
So when they heard their new friends the Graham’s were going to shave off all their hair for a cause they are so passionate about the boys wanted to help.
Jack, Charlie and Oscar talked to each other about it when they heard about the shave and told their mum they would like to also cut off their blonde locks in Wollongong on March 15 to raise money for the Bobdan Foundation to prevent bullying and youth suicide.
Emily could not be prouder of her three sons.
“The fundraiser is close to our hearts and the money raised will go towards Angels Hope, a global kids charity to resource a hotline for kids who need help. Mel and Dave Graham have helped our family a lot and we'd love to give back to the charity that they are so passionate about.”
Jack, Charlie and Oscar said they wanted to do it because their news friends “Mel and Dave” helped them out so much last year after they lost their dad.
The boys have set up their own Go Fund Me page called Brave Shave for Bullying and set themselves a target of $1000 to help raise funds to stop bullying.
Jack is an experienced fundraiser and has even won awards for his fundraising efforts at school.
He has also discovered a gift for manning a microphone and reading out the winning raffle numbers at the annual Amazing Race Wollongong his mum co-organises each year.
The Graham’s would like to do the head shave in Crown Street Mall during the Eat Street Markets because they see it a symbolic way to publicly raise awareness leading in to National Anti-Bullying Day on March 16.
Mrs Graham’s daughter Jessica Tolhurst, of Unanderra, lost a long battle after years of teenage bullying on December 7, 2015.
Now the Graham’s and many supporters want to help prevent others having to go through what Jessica did.
She battled anxiety, depression and an eating disorder for several years leading up to her tragic death.
The Graham’s have been working towards creating an anti-bullying foundation and having anti-bullying legislation debated in NSW Parliament.
They feel vulnerable teens are being let down by the health system, educators and politicians and the head shave is about raising awareness, funds for a 24 hour helpline and securing more signatures for a petition to have the issue debated in parliament.