Ian Galloway will be shaving his hair and beard on Monday to raise money for Mannin Cancers.

The event will take place at midday on Monday, January 30, at the Erin Arts Centre.

Shaving his head will be Port St Mary-based hairdresser Diane Russell-Raby.

Originally from Scotland, Ian moved to the island more than 30 years ago, and lives in Port Erin.

He has had a number of roles across different industries, with his last role before retirement being chief executive officer of Junior Achievement, an educational charity which helps young people develop skills for the workplace.

The 78-year-old has also won awards for his acting in the past, and still takes part in plays, helping out with the lighting for the play ‘Secondary Cause of Death’, currently being performed at the Erin Arts Centre.

Ian decided to shave his head and beard for charity after being diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in the year, motivating him to fundraise for Mannin Cancers.

The charity raises funds for diagnostic equipment to help male cancer patients in the island.

One piece of equipment that it fund raises for is Transperineal Biopsey, which helps with the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer.

Ian said: ‘They are trying to raise money so that people can have their prostate tested here in the island.

‘It’s about £100,000 they need, and they told me that they have raised about £80,000.’

This is not the first time Ian has raised money for charity, he explained: ‘Twelve years ago, I had quintuple heart bypass and at that time I raised money for Robert Owen House.’

Robert Owen House provides accommodation for relatives of individuals who are in hospital in Liverpool.

‘When I had my surgery, my wife stayed there so I had my head and beard shaved to raise money for that, and I raised £1,500,’

‘I now have prostate cancer.

‘Erin Arts Centre will be providing the space.

‘There will be tea and coffee and some people are making scones, and it’s going to be an event. Everyone’s going to enjoy it except me.

‘People can come and contribute, they can pay extra to cut a lock off, and there will be a guess the weight of the hair competition and the money will all go to Mannin Cancers.’

He added: ‘I am happy to do it, but I don’t know what it is going to look like once all my hair is gone. I just hope it is not too cold.’

Ian explained what motivated him to raise the money: ‘I’m just aware that there are a lot of men in the Isle of Man who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and every one of us has to go across for the tests to determine whether they really have prostate cancer and to determine how much it has spread. It’s one of these diseases that is symptomless until you get tested. They do a blood test once a year for many men and they measure the markers for it.’

You can find details to donate, on Mannin Cancers’ Facebook page.