The Bijou Salon in South Woodford (l-r) Susan Redlinger, Charlotte Gee, Kathyrn McAuliffe, Corinne Harrison, and Carina Stroud

A South Woodford hair and beauty salon which opened seven months ago has held what it hopes will become an annual fundraising event.

Surajrai Singh with hairdresser Carina Stroud

The Bijou Salon in Electric Parade let all customers visiting yesterday have free haircuts and beauty treatments in return for making donations to the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity and mental health charity Mind.

Visitors took advantage by getting blow drys, nail paintings and waxings and £610 was raised.

Manager Kathyrn McAuliffe said: “We were busy all day. “We had a lot of people walking in and donating and we had a fantastic response.”

A raffle was held and £5 strips of tickets are still available until Saturday.

The Wonder Room, a South Woodford business run by designer Sabah Mir, donated two shawls as prizes and The Bloom Bar flower shop in High Road, South Woodford, gave a bouquet.

The Morello restaurant in High Road, South Woodford, provided a £30 voucher and food company Eat gave a book of £20 vouchers.

Ms McAuliffe said: “We wanted to reach out to the local community.

“That’s why we did two charities that are in the area. “The cancer charity has a second hand shop in George Lane and Mind is in Stratford.”

Customers can also buy £5 Helen Rollason balloons which contain tickets for different £10 treatments or hair cuts.