A beautician from Tycroes has won an award from Diabetes UK Cymru after her fundraising nail-a-thons raised almost £3,000.
Lowri Vaughan-Hadley, 31, has held 24-hour nail-a-thons for the last two years, raising a total of £2,798.
Lowri has been running her beauty business, Lowri’s Vanity House, from her home since 2015. She was inspired to support the charity in honour of her mother, Michelle Hadley, who has Type 1 diabetes.
Lowri was presented with the charity’s Inspire Award for Fundraising at a surprise ceremony in front of family and friends in Ammanford.
Lowri said, “Mum was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was just three years old. She has managed to raise a family and keep her condition stable for many years. I decided to do something in 2017 to mark 50 years since her diagnosis. The idea for a 24-hour nail-a-thon came from two of my regular customers, wondering how long I could do nails without a break. That first year I did 26 manicures in 24 hours and raised almost £1300.
“A few months after the fundraiser, Mum was rushed into hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis and sepsis. It was such a scary time for our whole family but the NHS was fantastic and Mum pulled through. We decided to hold another fundraiser in 2018 which raised £1500. Now it has become an annual event.
“Doing nails for 24 hours non-stop is definitely a challenge, especially when it gets to 3am! But I try to keep chatting and concentrating and my friends and family are a great support. Seeing the local community pull together to support the event is so rewarding and local business have been so generous with donations and raffle prizes.”
Diabetes UK Cymru’s Inspire Awards recognise the achievements of the charity’s dedicated volunteers across the country, who raise awareness and funds to support the 194,000 people across Wales living with diabetes.
Lowri continued, “Fundraising and being able to help others is the best feeling and receiving this award is such a bonus. I feel so honoured and its given me even more of a drive to make a difference. This year’s nail-a-thon is on Saturday 24th August and set to be bigger and better than ever, with stalls from local businesses and facials and massages on offer, as well as nails.”
Dai Williams, National Director, Diabetes UK Cymru said, “We couldn’t continue to support the many thousands of people living with diabetes across Wales, and their families, without the hard work and dedication of fundraisers like Lowri. Our Inspire Awards are an opportunity to recognise the vital role they play, and thank them for going the extra mile for us.
“There were some very strong nominees in this category, but our judging panel praised her creative approach and commitment to raising funds and awareness in her community. We hope lots of people support this year’s fundraiser. Congratulations Lowri, and thank you!”
The nail-a-thon will be held at St Edmund’s Church Hall in Tycroes starting at 10am on Saturday 24th August and ending at 12pm on Sunday 25th August. For more information, search Lowri’s Vanity House on Facebook or Instagram, or contact [email protected] .
