Lemonaid raises funds for popular Rye barber

The event, named the Lemonaid Family Fun Day, is to be held at Rye Rugby Club between midday and 6pm on Saturday (June 24).

Among a range of attractions, the event will feature a six-a-side men’s football tournament organised by Rye Town FC, a strongman show and a sponsored head shaving.

It will also feature a children’s bouncy castle, face painting, live music, a tombola and a raffle.

The event is in aid of Rye Barbers founder Stephen Lemon, who diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal (bowel) cancer in January this year, when he was aged just 37-years-old. The father-of-three was told the disease had spread to his liver and would require immediate treatment.

Writing earlier this year, Stephen’s sister Debbie Baker said: “Stephen is currently undergoing gruelling chemotherapy treatment where the goal is for the cancer to become operable.

“Whilst the care and attention he has received on the NHS has been amazing, we want to give him the best possible chance of a cure and we would desperately want him to have the treatment that specialist surgeons can provide operating on him.

“It is not yet clear whether this will be possible on the NHS and since time is of the essence, with the help of donations from you it will give Stephen the option to seek any specialist treatments that may be needed further down the line.”

To do this Stephen’s family has launched a crowdfunding bid, with the aim of raising £50,000 for treatment. So far the appeal has raised more than £18,000.

The family say the figure has been reached thanks to support of the local community in Rye, which has rallied around Stephen as well as his wife Anita and their children Olivia, Joseph and Joshua.