Evertonian Richie dyed hair red for Clatterbridge – and jokes he might have been LFC’s cup winning good luck charm

Everton-mad Richie O’Connor has raised more than £1,000 for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity by dying his hair, beard, and eyebrows red – and shaving LFC into the back of his head.

The 61-year-old chef from Ellesmere Port decided to fundraise for the Wirral-based charity after losing two friends and colleagues to the disease.

Richie says:

“Most of my family and friends know I am an Evertonian but I dyed my hair red to raise money for such a brilliant cause.”

“It was only supposed to be a two-week challenge but one guy offered me an extra £20 if I kept it red until after the Carabao Cup as a good luck charm.

“So after their win against Chelsea I could become a mascot for Liverpool – they may even pay me to keep it red until the end of the season!”

Dad-of-one Richie, who works for oil company Essar, is well known for dying his normally white hair for charity and has tinted it pink, green, orange, and more, in the past.

Richie O'Connor - Clatterbridge Fundraiser

His recent efforts have come after the tragic deaths of two people he knew at work.

“Lee Greenslade was a main kitchen porter who was only 44, and Trevor Povey, who worked in security, was only 52 and they both died last year from cancer, Lee only eight weeks after diagnosis.

“I was really saddened by it and it hurt me so much that I decided to do something.

“I decided to dye my hair, but because I always dye my hair, I thought I’d grow a beard and colour that and my eyebrows too.

“My wife Susan thinks I’m off my head, but she still did all the dyeing and puts up with it, waking up to me in the morning in bed!”

He goes on: “Pink is normally for cancer but because I’m a Blue, I thought I’d dye it red – and then a bloke at work said if I somehow put LFC in the back of my head he’d give me £100, so I went to the barbers and had it shaved in at the back of my head.”

So far Richie has raised £1,165 online, and he’s got £180 he’s collected in cash.

“Cancer is a serious thing but it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a laugh raising money for the charities that support those who have it and their families, like Clatterbridge does.

“The people at work have been great and I’ve been banging my drum keep telling them to get their money out.

“I first set the target at £1,000 and my wife said it was too much. But now I’d love to get to £1,500 and I’m hoping work might choose me as one of their charities and donate money, and more Liverpool fans might support me now – maybe even the club itself?

“People keep stopping me and asking what I’m doing. It’s not hard is it, changing your hair colour for such a fantastic charity for two or three weeks – my nephew did a 500-mile bike ride.

“I am made up with what I’ve raised especially when people don’t have loads of money to spare these days, and I’ve had so much support and a lot of respect from Liverpool fans for doing this, which is great in itself.

“I just want to raise as much as possible for a fantastic charity.”

Clatterbridge fundraising manager Elspeth Wilson says:

“Richie is no stranger to dyeing his hair to raise funds for Clatterbridge – he raised over £500 in 2016 after he turned his hair pink and then had it all shaved off two weeks later.

“We’re so grateful for everything Richie has done for Clatterbridge – in particular, this year by going red! He’s helped to raise over £1,600 to date to help fund research, and support services and innovations in care at Clatterbridge for those with cancer in our region – both now, and in the future. We can’t wait to see what hair challenge is next for Richie!”