Money is still pouring into a charity fund set up in memory of a young woman from Chatham.

The Medway Messenger has been lending its support to the Loughrey family from St Mary’s Island who have raised almost £50,000 for cancer charity CLIC Sargent. Their campaign began following the death of their daughter Emily Rose in June 2007.

Serena Solitaire, who worked with Emily at New Look in Gillingham, has added more money to the pot by having her head shaved.

Mum-of-four Serena has been raising money for the campaign since last November when she embarked on a sponsored slim. So far she has been pledged around £700.

Serena was hoping to lose five stone by June 12, this year, the first anniversary of Emily’s death.

But Serena didn’t shed as much weight as she hoped, so has extended her diet deadline until October.

She decided to take the drastic step of having her head shaved to raise a bit more cash and collected a further £400.

She was given the restyle by Amy Waghorn from Just Soe hairdressers in Gillingham at The Ship and Trades pub in Chatham.

Emily’s parents, Matt and Caroline, were there to support her.

Caroline said: “It was all very emotional and we told Serena she need not go through with it but she was all geared up that she would do it for Emily.

Serena said: “I did get a bit upset thinking about Emily while I was having it done.

“But everyone has said how much it suits me and it saves me a lot of time getting ready in the morning.”

A football match, organised by employees at CB&I engineering firm on the Isle of Grain, raised another £375 for the trust.

The company has contributed around £16,000 towards the appeal.

A group of engineers organised a social evening, raising £11,000, and company bosses donated an extra £5,000.

Matt said: “If it wasn’t for the hard work that Ken and his committee put in to fund-raising at CB&I we wouldn’t have achieved our goal of £50,000.”