A local mum undergoing "very hard" chemotherapy has found a way "to make the situation positive" and raised thousands for her son’s school.

Marie Maye, who lives in Bovingdon, took on a charity head-shave with her brother Steve Maye last Monday (September 11) in aid of Woodfield School for Special Needs, after being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier in the year.

The former Watford barber and lifelong local said: “Basically it was really difficult, being a hairdresser, going through it as my hair was coming out in massive lumps.

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“I found it very hard, and I needed to make the situation positive to deal with it.”

The decision paid off even more than she had hoped as, despite aiming for around £200 raised, when that target was smashed immediately expectations quickly needed to be bumped to £3,000.

As of September 18, even the massively raised target has already been beaten, with £3,165 raised from 143 supporters.

Watford Observer: Marie and Steve Maye before and after.Marie and Steve Maye before and after. (Image: Marie Maye)

“The fact I can go and take my children and see the equipment really warms my heart," Marie explained.

“I cried such happy tears when it hit three thousand.”

She says that it is so important that Woodfield is given the funding it needs for new equipment because of how few places there are that can meet its learners’ needs.

The school, in Malmes Croft, Hemel Hempstead, has around 125 pupils aged three to 19, with severe and complex learning difficulties, including her son Tyler, 9, who has severe autism.

Watford Observer: Marie and Tyler.Marie and Tyler. (Image: Marie Maye)

However, she said, because the kinds of equipment that best support the learners are usually highly specialised, they are also often “super expensive”.

“The children have had a really difficult few years,” the mother of three said, adding that after Covid and other challenges it will be even better to bring something they will enjoy.

“It makes it so much better knowing the children are going to love it.”

Watford Observer: Marie and Tyler.Marie and Tyler. (Image: Marie Maye)

One item she had hoped to help fund, accessible to all the school's kids including those in wheelchairs costs £2,500, and so it can now be completely paid for from the donations.

The school are apparently “really excited” about the fundraiser and the new activities that will be possible.