The Untamed Mane - A documentary no one asked for of hope, chaos and split ends!!

I’ve decided to turn hair havoc into hope and I’m shaving my head - properly, intentionally and for a cause - to raise money for two charities that have genuinely shaped my life: Tourettes Action and Andy’s Man Club.

My hair journey has been many things - bold, chaotic, experimental, occasionally alarming - but never boring. In fact, if there were loyalty schemes for barbers, I’d probably have earned platinum status, a free mug, and a commemorative plaque by now.  I think my hair has been on more adventures than most people’s passports.

It all began with the buzz cut - the “I’m done with everything and simplifying my life” haircut. Clean, simple, aerodynamic. For a glorious week, I felt like a low‑maintenance king. Then my hair grew out just enough to make me resemble a tennis ball that had been dropped behind the sofa by Fergal.

Next came the fade - crisp, stylish, and requiring the upkeep of a prize-winning show dog. I tried. I really did. But one missed appointment later, I went from “fresh” to “feral” in record time.

Next came the floppy fringe - a bold choice that lasted right up until the moment I realised I was spending half my day blowing hair out of my eyes like a windswept Victorian orphan.

Then came the unkept mop - a phase that can only be described as “accidental scarecrow.” My hair developed its own postcode. Birds considered nesting rights. But I soldiered on.

But hope springs eternal, and in a moment of optimism (or madness), I attempted the man bun. For a while, I strutted around like a Viking who’d misplaced his axe. But the reality of hair constantly in my eyes, in my mouth, in my food, and occasionally stuck in zippers broke me. The man bun was retired with honours.

And then…the mullet. Business in the front, party in the back, chaos everywhere. I tried to embrace it. I really did. But after catching my reflection and thinking “Why do I look like I time travelled straight out of 1987?”, I knew it was time to move on.

Which brings us to today: The Overgrown Era. A head of thick, luscious locks that should have been glorious but instead resemble a mythical creature mid-transformation. My hair held back with a myriad of headbands, hats and sunglasses has become a mayhem machine. A swirling storm of “How did it get this big?” Every attempt to grow it out has ended the same way: Awkward in-between stages, too much maintenance, impulsive decisions, immediate regret and a barber who greets me with, “So… what are we undoing today?”

Diagnosed with Tourettes at 11, I have spent years working as part of the TA Green Team with Tourettes Action - offering peer support, helping at events, and being a steady, friendly and reassuring presence at TICfests. These weekends bring families and individuals together in a space where nobody has to explain themselves, apologise for tics, or feel out of place, they can relax, connect and feel undersood. I know how powerful that is, because I’ve lived it. These weekends have given countless people a safe, joyful space - and I have been right there helping make that happen.

Later, during some of my toughest storms, I walked through the doors of Andy’s Man Club - a men’s suicide-prevention charity built on honesty, conversation, and community. Week after week, I show up. I listen. I talk. I heal. And I bring baked treats - which instantly make me the most popular man in the room. (The lads quickly learned that me turning up with treats was not a phase but a lifestyle).  I was asked to become a facilitator, supporting other men through their own storms and it’s a role I carry with pride, humility, and a tray of chocolate brownies. The camaraderie I found there changed me.
Now I help change others.

So what’s the plan?
I want to give back to the two communities that helped shape me into the person I am today by taking all those failed hairstyles - the buzzes, the fades, the buns, the mullets, the “what was I thinking?” moments - and turning them into a fundraiser. My hair may have defeated me repeatedly, but I’m finally finding a way to make it a win.

So during Mental Health Awareness Week and Tourettes Awareness Month, I am turning my wild, overgrown mane into something meaningful.

Please can you dig deep into your fluff lined pockets - yes the ones full of lint, biscuit crumbs, a rogue tic-tac and a mysterious coin that you swear wasn’t there yesterday - and spare a few pounds to help me support these 2 amazing charities.

Every donation really does help…and it will also help me justify the fact that looking like a distressed alpaca caught in a wind tunnel was a noble choice and not just a terrible life decision.

One head of hair. Two incredible charities. A lifetime of questionable style choices finally put to good use. And a whole lot of heart.

With hope, humour, an overdue haircut and many, many thanks, Zach x 💚