Help Lemonade Wigs Belfast get through Covid 19

• Lemonade Wigs Belfast was launched in October 2018. I had spent many years in the NHS wig contract before going into business myself. With many cuts across the UK in wig provision I felt clients in N Ireland and across the UK were on a back foot as to what was available on the alternative hair market. 

With support groups and wig supply being very limited and frankly outdated in N Ireland I felt I needed to do something to try an move wig service and support services into a new chapter in N Ireland. I set up Lemonade Wigs and I opened the first and only support group for hair loss in N Ireland. Local service users are invited to come for an evening for support and sign posting into services aside from wigs like head wear and semi permanent makeup, this support enhances overall emotional wellbeing and in some cases life quality.

I wanted to make a visit to wig salon as normal as a trip to a hair salon, not an appointment in a hospital back room that is depressing and clinical .

Lemonade Wigs is modern, fun and quirky! I believe in client advocacy. Wig shopping is like looking for a needle in a haystack, for new cancer patients, these vaunrable clients need kindness, compassion and impartial advice. 

I work with many young people also, many of whom I have been fitting wigs on for many years. 

I also work with Alopecia UK charity, Little Princess Trust charity and I also run my own wig bank for clients who can not afford the luxury of a new wig, I take donated wigs reconditioned and sell at fraction of price to clients in need. All proceeds from the wig bank go to charity.

As a business that was growing rapidly and getting so many five star reviews on line, I would love to have expanded to NHS wig provision, at moment with covid 19 backlash I distressed this could end my dreams. 

With so many of my clients undergoing chemotherapy and having no immune system, the past few weeks with all the social distancing and stay home government messages (that are vital to comply with), my business has dropped away. The coming months of recovery from this global pandemic are going to be most trying for everyone and I fear the worst for my little business.

I am reaching out, as I am at a loss. Government packages have been very helpful to most, I am afraid I just fall through the net. I do not want to let go of my amazing little business, I would feel I was letting all my beautiful clients down. There are so many people who have hair loss that are vaunrable and being taken advantage of.  I want to stop this! 

If you feel you can help me and save Lemonade Wigs .. I would be forever grateful.  

You can catch all my work including a BBC interview with our N Ireland health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly on my Facebook page Lemonade Wigs. I also have an amazing website www.lemonadewigs.com.