Saturday, November 08, 2003

Pledge-a-dread: Sponsored Head Shaving Extravaganza!

This week, the RRS Ernest Shackleton is CROSSING THE LINE and the eight uninitiated BAS employees on board are scared. Very scared. Especially Rhian.

In what started out as an innocent joke in the bar, Rhian has found herself committed to having her DREADS CHOPPED OFF for charity.

On the proviso that every one on the ship makes a contribution, Rhian has agreed to have her head shaved and Ben (the dentist) has agreed to match the sum they raise. The money will go towards building an urgently needed intensive care ward for a children's hospital in Malawi – see the attached poster, in either pdf (2.2Mb) or Word (260 Kb).

We're now opening bids to bases, ships and the world at large! How much would you give to see Rhian's dreads go? How much would you give to see the photos? All you have to do to pledge-a-dread is send an email, now, to Ben Molyneux or Rhian Salmon stating the amount you pledge. If an excess of £1000 is pledged, and the crew all sign up, the dreads go, photos will be published on the Shackleton website in a week, and you'll get an email explaining where to send your money to. We accept cash, cheque and BAS account transfers!

More details are in the poster, but this is a really good cause – the Philippa Clarke Hospital Wing (the children's ward) of the QECH hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

So, please, send an email now to rasa@south* if you're within BAS, to rhian(at)felixsalmon(dot)com if you're in the rest of the world, or leave a comment below if you want to make your donation public and thereby encourage others.

Thankyou!

Posted by Rhian at 18:56 EST

Comments

Where do we pay to have you keep them?

Posted by: Stefan Geens at 19:01 EST, November 08, 2003

OK, I'm game, sign me up for $250. Dunno if you're set up for accepting dollars, but that's about £150.

Posted by: Felix at 19:01 EST, November 08, 2003

Shave them off! I'm in for $100.00 - bye bye dreads!

Posted by: Michelle at 19:11 EST, November 08, 2003

Well, I'm in for 200 Swedish crowns ($26). But towards the keeping of the dreads. As Rhian explained to me:

"if you want, you can counter-pledge. If the total of the counter-pledges is greater than the pledges, the dreads
stay. Whichever the outcome, we take all your cash anyway. If it helps at all, I've already been given 100 cash on the ship to keep them.

Thanks to the rest of you for your pledges. And for new visitors to the site, we really were only expecting pledges of 5-10 so don't shy away because of the degree this has got out-of-control. Every bit counts! Rh."

Posted by: Stefan Geens at 14:55 EST, November 09, 2003

£150 from me to cut them off. It's cheap at the price. Plus £5 for you to buy yourself a hat.

love
Granny

Posted by: Yvonne at 17:40 EST, November 09, 2003

I match Granny and Felix. So another £150. And I really think the Captain ought to allow a swim if you get over £5000 including Ben's contribution. I'll also swap Felix's dollars for pounds if that makes life easier.

Posted by: Roger at 17:52 EST, November 09, 2003

I love your dreads!

I'll pledge £20. You can use Granny's hat money to hide the dreads when you next visit Granny so she doesn't mind too much!

Posted by: Kirsten (cous) at 18:46 EST, November 09, 2003

As someone always searching for a good hair solution, I like Rhian's proposal. It's for a good cause, the hospital that is- and I will contribute $100 to shave the dreadlocks.
That's $100 Australian, so not sure how many pounds that is...

Posted by: kartika at 0:40 EST, November 10, 2003

I'm skint but Guinness says he's in for £50 just for crossing the line. I'm sure everyone on board will make sure you earn it one way or another ;-)

R

PS You know your theories about throwing the world out of balance if your family isn't perfectly distributed across the hemispheres? Well I reckon if you end up losing the dreads, Kirsten (or Granny if Kirsten isn't game) will have to develop some instead to avert the end of the world. Could be worth a pledge also. Whadda you think, Pete?

Posted by: Robin and Guinness at 4:52 EST, November 10, 2003

Keep the dreads!

It may look like hamster bedding up close, but you're the only friend I have with dreads and some of that cool has got to rub off...

£30 for the dreads to stay

Posted by: Pete (Obelix) at 8:30 EST, November 10, 2003

On the other hand, it looks like hamster bedding from far away aswell...

I'm with Granny, lose the dreads!

Posted by: Pete (Obelix) at 8:37 EST, November 10, 2003

I love the dreads, but I love granny more, so $100 to get shorn.

Posted by: Elly at 9:26 EST, November 10, 2003

I do love your dreads Rhian. They used to bring me much joy in the otherwise conventional atmosphere of the lab (especially when you used to color them in the winter) . But somehow, dare i say it, I feel that they must go. $40 to see them float over the line.

JF

Posted by: Jean Francois at 10:50 EST, November 10, 2003

$50 (US) for them OFF! much as i love the feral look, I think a bald rhian will be cuter ....... but colder

Posted by: alex at 12:41 EST, November 10, 2003

EUR 30,- for the dreads to stay on...why? because I love the looks and because it will be very cold without them once you come to Antartica. So buy a hat anyway!

Posted by: Fanny at 14:43 EST, November 10, 2003

Shed the dreads! (love them as we do, they've had their fun and this seems like the Right Time)
$100 (Australian) from us.

Posted by: Kip and Span at 21:41 EST, November 10, 2003

We can accomplish the hospital objective without sacrificing Rhian's beautiful hair. I suggest that those who have pledged should reverse course and counter pledge the same amount.
We can achieve 2 good deeds instead of one!
We will pledge USD 25 towards the rescue !

Granny and Roger---get on the right bandwagon!
Felix---et tu, Felix!
Rik and Syd

Posted by: Rik and Syd Hecker at 2:10 EST, November 11, 2003

50.- EUR for dem gone! Even though it's a futile cause, they'll be back on anyway once we see rhian again...

Posted by: Tille at 6:27 EST, November 11, 2003

$50 from me, of which I insist a portion goes to the care and feeding of whatever live beasts are uncovered by the shaving.

Posted by: Matthew at 10:52 EST, November 11, 2003

We suggest that all donors should switch their votes to
"SAVE, DON'T SHAVE".
THE SAME MONEY CAN HELP THE HOSPITAL AND
SAVE RHIAN'S HAIR!
W hy should Rhian be pushed into self mutilation when the goal can be achieved without it at no additional cost? Why should she alone pay an extra cost?
Why pay twice?
Join the SDS (SAVE DON'T SHAVE) bandwagon.

Swich your vote today!
Syd and Rik Hecker

Posted by: Syd and Rik Hecker at 13:26 EST, November 11, 2003

Put your hair in the air
to cut em off is not fair
you're not allowed to look like Tony B(l)air
50 EUR quit to share !!

Posted by: Beddy at 8:49 EST, November 12, 2003

$50 (Cnd) to keep 'em. You're going to need all the help you can keeping warm!!

Posted by: Tina at 13:03 EST, November 12, 2003

Rhian, you are a cool dude and about to get cooler. £20 from your adopted godmother to lose the locks and see how long it takes to grow replacements. Sue.

Posted by: Sue at 18:14 EST, November 13, 2003

How can one resist Syd? I switch my vote to save the dreads.

Posted by: Roger at 18:33 EST, November 13, 2003

Rhian volunteering to have them removed took guts. I think it is a great cause and well worth the sacrifice. Besides you were ready for a change anyway! $50 (CND) for Off with the Dreads!

Posted by: Cor at 10:59 EST, November 14, 2003

Just to be difficult (for a change) I pledge fifty pounds ('cos the symbol isn't working!) to keep the dreaded dreds so I am a fully fledged member of the SDS

Granny - please join me 'cos she'll be very cold even with your hat!!

Posted by: Phip at 9:14 EST, November 16, 2003

Oh Rhian,
I know how hard it can be to cut off the hair, but i witnessed you do it once before, so I know you have it in you. I say, "Go for it!" It will grow back...I will put in $25. Much love to you. Dorkus

Posted by: Dorkus at 20:19 EST, November 17, 2003

"The Rate of Human Hair Regrowth Studied at Exceedingly Low Temperatures", R.A. Salmon et al.,2004.

An out-and-out favourite for the next IgNobel Awards.

The deed is already done but for what it's worth my $100 agrees with Granny.

Posted by: Geoff at 13:08 EST, November 20, 2003

people with crazy dreads like that should shave their heads.....peace out

Posted by: amanda at 19:07 EST, October 07, 2005

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