A FORMER footballer will be going to great lengths this year to raise money for a Basingstoke hospice – by growing his hair and beard for a whole year.

Adam Aimable, who used to play for Basingstoke Town FC, has pledged not to cut his hair or shave his face for a full 12 months to raise funds for St Michael’s Hospice.

And when the business account manager does eventually get his locks lopped off at the end of 2013, he will donate the hair to a charity that provides wigs for cancer patients.

Adam, 25, decided to raise money for the facility, in Aldermaston Road, after his family praised the way in which a late relative was cared for at the hospice.

Adam, of Limes Park, Basingstoke, said: “My relatives had nothing but good things to say about the hospice. You don’t realise how important places like these are until you have to use them.

“The after-care provided by the hospice was also fantastic for the family. It made the whole journey a lot more bearable than it might have been.”

Adam’s colleagues at Southern Electric, in Winchester Road, where he works, have already pledged sponsorship for his hair-raising experience and are looking forward to seeing his varying hairstyles over the next 12 months.

Donations can be made to Adam’s hair-growing marathon at justgiving.com/Adam-Aimable.