A week of charitable activity

I'm a patron of the adoption and fostering association - I was adopted myself, so it's a cause close to my heart. Recently I gave a speech to trustees and fundraisers and fund- givers about my experiences. It was quite emotional when you realise 4,000 children are looking for families each year. I am thrilled that my name and reputation can help the cause. My life is very wrapped up in my career and the industry and other things outside of that are important and giving my time to those causes is very rewarding in a different way.

The salon is approached by various charities and we have to be careful not to say yes to everything. We've selected the ones that best suit us as a business. Obviously we're involved with HAIRraising and HABB, Barnardos, Princes Trust and adoption and fostering charities. This year for the breast cancer initiative Tickled Pink we've created a limited edition pink Andrew Barton shampoo and conditioner.

I have also been having a lot of fun doing a roadshow, visiting 70 stores. What's been lovely is how many hairdressers have been to see me. At one I had NVQ Level 1, 2 and 3 students and their teachers. The aim of the tour is to give consumers advice about their careers.

In between all this, it's been business as normal with a show in Manchester for Redken and a lot of education work.

One of the most unusual requests I've responded to recently was to shave the hair of the inspiring Liza Schwarz, a hairdresser from Peterborough, who asked me to cut her hair off for HAIRraising at Salon International. Liza raised £3,000, but I think she was traumatised.

I've also been asked on the behalf of HAIRraising to paint a picture to be auctioned off. There is an outline of a hare and hairdressers, celebrity chefs and artists have been invited to do anything on the canvas as long as it fits in the outline. All the pictures will be published in a coffee table book. It was Michael Van Clarke's idea and pictures by Charles Worthington, Richard Ward, Jamie Oliver, Tracey Emin are also planned. I did mine in oils on - it was a joy to do something different.

Next week will be busy too as I'm doing hair for the Specsavers Model Search competition at the V&A.

On the 11th November the team at the salon will be celebrating our first birthday with a party. It's been an eventful year!