Sunderland teenager gets beloved mullet chopped off for charity after falling foul of school rules

A teenager, forced by school rules to have his hair cut, has used his unwanted crop to raise hundreds of pounds for charity.
By Tony Gillan
Published 25th Oct 2023, 11:12 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2023, 11:12 BST
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Toby Quinn, 15, from Ashbrooke is a pupil at St Aidan’s. He spent 18 months cultivating his beloved mullet, only to be told that it fell foul of the rules – and that it had to go.

Toby was decidedly unhappy about this, but decided to use it to his advantage. He has been sponsored to have the haircut with proceeds going to the Newcastle Hospitals Charity.

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The charity supports the cardiac unit at the Freeman Hospital, which provided excellent care for almost two months to Toby’s granddad John Scollen during a serious illness in 2022.

A despondent Toby Quinn before mam Naomi cut off his beloved mullet at Scolli's on Chester Road. Sunderland Echo image.A despondent Toby Quinn before mam Naomi cut off his beloved mullet at Scolli's on Chester Road. Sunderland Echo image.
A despondent Toby Quinn before mam Naomi cut off his beloved mullet at Scolli's on Chester Road. Sunderland Echo image.

John is the founder of Sunderland barbering institution Scolli’s on Chester Road.

St Aidan’s was sporting enough to give Toby and his mullet a couple of weeks’ reprieve. This gave him time to drum up sponsorship, which staff members have contributed to.

The deed was carried out by Toby’s hairdresser mam Naomi Jenkins. Afterwards the Echo asked him how he felt following his de-mulleting.

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He said: “Not good. The school have made me cut it off, so I decided to raise money from it by being sponsored. I was supposed to cut it off a couple of weeks ago, but they said I could wait until half term because I was raising money from it.”

Toby Quinn with granddad John Scollen, mam Naomi Jenkins - and the sad remains of his beloved mullet. Sunderland Echo image.Toby Quinn with granddad John Scollen, mam Naomi Jenkins - and the sad remains of his beloved mullet. Sunderland Echo image.
Toby Quinn with granddad John Scollen, mam Naomi Jenkins - and the sad remains of his beloved mullet. Sunderland Echo image.

Will he be growing another mullet?

He answered: “As soon as I’ve finished school.”

Naomi said: “When the school said he had to have a haircut he was absolutely devastated. Really fed up. So we said let’s turn this into a positive; let’s use it as a fundraiser – and he’s been really chuffed with that. He’s been watching the total getting bigger and bigger.

“I think that’s taken the sting out of it, because he was miserable when he was first told he had to get it done.”

Toby appears to be less happy about the haircut than his mam Naomi. Sunderland Echo image.Toby appears to be less happy about the haircut than his mam Naomi. Sunderland Echo image.
Toby appears to be less happy about the haircut than his mam Naomi. Sunderland Echo image.
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The family would like to thank staff of St Aidan’s and St Mary’s Primary for chipping in for the charity. An initial target of £200 has been met, but anything added to that will be going to a wonderful cause.

Anyone else wishing to contribute can do so online at the Toby Quinn JustGiving page.

Related topics:SunderlandFreeman Hospital