A date has been set for a March man and Ely Hereward Rotary Club member’s charity beard shave.

Ely Standard: Ely Hereward Rotary Club member Mike Anthony, who lives in March, hopes to raise £500 for the Cambridge branch of the Samaritans charity by parting with his “pride and joy” in a sponsored beard shave. Mike prepares for the big day with Billy, a partner of First Class Turkish Barbers where the shave will take place on July 25. Picture: SUPPLIEDEly Hereward Rotary Club member Mike Anthony, who lives in March, hopes to raise £500 for the Cambridge branch of the Samaritans charity by parting with his “pride and joy” in a sponsored beard shave. Mike prepares for the big day with Billy, a partner of First Class Turkish Barbers where the shave will take place on July 25. Picture: SUPPLIED (Image: Archant)

Club member Mike Anthony, who came up with the idea of parting with his “pride and joy” to raise money for the Cambridge branch of Samaritans, will face the chop later this month.

Having been living separately from his wife in Slovakia since March, with no prospect of meeting up again until at least July, Mike has “grown a luxuriant beard of which he is quite proud,” said club member Frank Connolly. MORE: Rotary member aims to raise £500 for charity by losing his lockdown beard

With the aim of raising £500, the sponsored shave will be carried out on July 25 from 2.30pm at the newly-opened First Class Turkish Barbers, which is located at 7A, High Street Passage.

The fundraiser is one of the ways the club has been keeping up its charity work, having seen Ely Eel Day and Aquafest cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sponsor Mike or visit the Samaritans website for more information about the charity’s work.