THE ice bucket challenge might be the latest trend in fundraising, but one teenager is planning to do something for charity which will last much longer than the momentary chill of cold water.

Katherine Bayne (19), is set to shave her head next month in a bid to raise money for a Lochgelly charity which she holds close to her heart.

Sunny Harbour Cat & Kitten Rescue, in Bank Street, aims to ease the suffering of abandoned and stray cats by nursing them to heath. The charity is looking to build a purpose-built facility to help with the increasing number of cats and kittens that need care, and Katherine wants to help raise some of the money they need.

“The charity means a lot to me because they’re local and they do an amazing job from within their own home,” explained the teenager.

“I’ve always been a cat lover - I’ve grown up with cats so when I heard that this local charity wanted to build a new cattery so they could take in more cats, I wanted to help.” Not content with raising money for just one good cause, Katherine is also looking to raise money for the Eve Appeal, which helps raise awareness and provides research into women’s cancers.

“It’s a cause that’s very close to my heart,” she said, explaining that her best friend Susan battled with ovarian cancer a few years ago. “Susan has recovered and is doing fine now. Any money that can be raised to help awareness and treatment of women’s cancers will be helpful.” Katherine has already lined up some people to sponsor her when she shaves her head, and plans to split the money raised between the two charities. All that is left is to find a hairdresser who is willing to volunteer to chop her locks on October 1st. But despite the drastic change, Katherine insists that getting rid of her shoulder-length hair will be worth it.

“Most teenagers are so image-obsessed, so it was a big decision,” she said. “But the thought that it might raise money to help charities means it’s worth it for me.

“My mum thinks it’s a good idea to do something for charity but doesn’t want me to lose my hair, but my friends think it’s awesome, even if they’ve said they couldn’t do it themselves.”