WHAT'S up, Doc? Behind the padding and the false beard, Bolton hairdresser Barbara Openshaw hides a heart of gold.

For Barbara, her staff and customers at the Barbara Joan Hair Salon in St George's Road with friends and supporters, have spent the last four years raising thousands of pounds to help sick children.

In fact, the many charity events she has organised have raised almost £12,000 to boost the work of the Children's Hospital Appeal (CHAT) which buys equipment for hospitals.

Since February alone, Barbara and Co. have raised £5,600 towards buying a Vital Signs Monitor for an ambulance in Bolton. This equipment is designed especially for children to be used by paramedics in emergencies.

They are now just £3,000 short of their target, having boosted their remarkable fund-raising work via the Krypton Factor Challenge at Holcombe Brook's gruelling assault course last weekend...which is where the little "dwarf" Doc comes in!

Barbara was one of the Seven Dwarfs with Snow White, who tackled the course. And their efforts were helped when two teams from NatWest in Bolton - the NatWest Nutters and Captain Kirk and the Krypton Klingons - joined them to help with their Monitor appeal.

Barbara and friends have also organised several successful variety shows. Their next is on Thursday, October 24 at Horwich Conservative Club at 8pm when four artistes will be entertaining.

Barbara explained: "We are determined to reach our target to buy the equipment, and save precious time for these precious people. Our children are our future, and we aim to see they have one." Stephen Cox from CHAT said: "Barbara and her many helpers are the salt of the earth, and without their support, and people like them, we would not be able to continue our vital work."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.