A Letchworth building supplies branch is holding a week of fundraising including a ‘Brave the Shave’ in memory of a valued friend and customer.

The town’s Jewson branch has been hosting a Cancer Research week since Monday, following the loss of Ricky Marshall from Distinctive Driveways.

Ricky has been described as a “local celebrity” by Owen Rees, the assistant branch manager at Jewson Letchworth and organiser of the Cancer Research week.

Owen told the Comet: “Ricky was a customer of ours for about 20 years. Everyone here knew him and he’s been involved in boxing and other events around the area, so he was a bit of a local celebrity.

“He was also our yard foreman’s cousin. They had grown up together and were almost like brothers. No matter where he was, he could walk into a room and change the atmosphere.

“We thought we would do this for the both of them. Cancer affects everybody and we’ve got to beat it.”

The main event for Jewson will be tomorrow’s Brave the Shave, which will see staff shaving various parts of their bodies for the cause.

“I’m a little cautious about the brave the shave, but I’ve got to do it,” Owen said.

“It’s going to be a wet shave so I’ll have a shiny head for winter, but I’ve got my bobble hat ready.”

Kicking off the week was a raffle on Monday. Prizes have been donated from Tool Bank, GRS and Dulux. There will also be a ‘boobie prize’ – a tin of baked beans for one unlucky winner.

Today staff sported unflattering Christmas jumpers, with some taking the plunge and turning up in Christmas-themed fancy dress ahead of the bake sake tomorrow.

Thursday will see staff and customers guessing the amount of baubles in a jar for 50p a go, with the winner getting five free raffle tickets.

The big finish on Friday will involve employees shaving various parts of their bodies in a sponsored ‘brave the shave’.

Owen, alongside Ian Pickering and Adam Snook, will be shaving their heads to help raise money for Cancer Research UK, while Bradley Nolson and Mark Yates will be having their chest and legs waxed respectively.

The team is aiming to raise £1,000 for Cancer Research UK. To donate to the Jewson’s Cancer Research fundraising week, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/jewsonbravetheshave