THE battle to keep all of one of Alton’s most-loved institutions safe has entered a new phase and found a new champion.

While the main nursery at Bushy Leaze Children and Families Centre continues to be funded by Hampshire County Council, its critically important early-stage activities established to help families from day one of a new baby’s life are not.

With SureStart finance cut at a stroke last October and the centre looking for funding elsewhere, one young mum, helped by Bushy Leaze when things were tough, has decided to say thank you by fundraising in her own way.

Bethany Dye, known for her beautiful auburn hair, is having it all shaved off, not in the privacy of her own home but in the town’s Public Gardens during the Rhiannon Trust Town Park Festival at the end of this month.

Beth’s now looking for sponsors and is asking pubs and clubs to join her fundraising campaign.

“If the county council can cut, so can I!” said defiant Beth. “I am a mother of three beautiful children. All three of them have gone through Bushy Leaze and have enjoyed every second, from the early toddler stage through the nursery. I can’t bear the thought of future mums and their children not having the help and opportunities I had.

“In fairy stories, beautiful hair gets turned into gold. Well, I want mine to be turned into hard pounds and pence to help those very small Altonians and their families in those difficult early years.”

Beth will surrender her crowning glory to the razor at 2pm next Saturday (May 27) – doing so with a smile.

“Bushy Leaze is part of what is best about our town,” she said. “They are really inclusive. They are there for any family that needs them and they do a brilliant job. Loads of families are getting help right now, and hundreds more have been helped down the years.”

Bushy Leaze headteacher Patti Snook is pleased to have found a way to continue its “vital work” in the community, and delighted that Bethany is prepared to go so far to help provide services and support to other families with young children, whatever their circumstances.

“We are delighted that our nursery provision is currently rated as outstanding,” said Mrs Snook, “but a lot of the credit for that goes to our excellent community team and contact network. We want families in and around Alton to continue to have access to supervised toddler groups and skilled family support staff.

“Early support to new parents is essential, as is having a place to come and make friends, seek advice and learn about the best ways to help their children thrive. It’s even more important when that place offers professional expertise in special needs. We have an open-door policy for families in need of immediate help or long-term support and can help parents to gain the skills and confidence to enter or return to the workplace.”

Mrs Snook stressed the need to build up alternative sources of funding within the community and further afield.

“Since losing the SureStart funding for our children’s centre, the Bushy Leaze Community Support Fund, our new independent charity, has taken on the task of seeking out grants and donations. We are hugely grateful for the generous support of our community, including local town, district and county councillors and a growing number of local organisations.”

And she added: “As for Beth sacrificing her beautiful hair, what can I say? All of us at Bushy Leaze are deeply moved by her courage and determination. She says she’s going to raise at least £1,000 for the new charity and, believe me, she means it.

“Beth deserves all the support the community can give her, which is why we are approaching our brilliant local pubs and clubs who are never short of ideas.”

Having had some carry-forward money, the Bushy Leaze Community Support Fund has so far raised almost half of the £80,000 it needs to keep its early-stage activities going until the end of March, but in subsequent years the centre will have to find more than £130,000 per year to support its work in the community.

To donate to Bethany’s hair-raising cause, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/bethanydye1.