Ropey offers dreads for sale to fight cancer | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Anthony "Ropey" O'Leary's co-workers are going to have to think of a new nickname for him.

After three years of growing and carefully maintaining his dreadlocks, Mr O'Leary is ready to give them the chop - but first, he's auctioning them off, one by one, to raise money for Blue September, a prostate cancer charity.

An account manager at Jamie O'Leary Builders, Mr O'Leary said he was ready for a change, and after talking to his wife Chloe decided it would be a good idea to cut them off for a cause.

With about 110 dreads, Mr O'Leary said he was growing his hair out for about four years before he got it professionally dreadlocked.

The whole process took about 30 hours, spread out over a few days, and it was quite painful to have them teased into shape, he said.

Since then he has carefully maintained them, with regular washes using only residue-free shampoo and re-waxing the strands, though they had faded near the ends from the sun.

The dreads were between 20cm and 40cm and some were adorned with random beads, but a beaded dread could not be guaranteed in the auction, he said.

Mr O'Leary said his aim was to sell the dreadlocks for up to $20 each, with all proceeds going to the charity.

The dreads were available to buy online on Trade Me under Buy My Locks, or by emailing jamieo@xtra.co.nz, he said.

He had already sold some, although several people said they would donate to the cause but didn't want the hair.

His workplace's head office has also pledged to donate $100 once the dreads are gone.

Mr O'Leary said the cutting would happen on September 25, courtesy of Hair Technique and Mrs O'Leary.

It was a process he was somewhat nervous about.

"I'm hoping they will cut them off individually and leave some short hair and see how it goes, but I don't know if they will let me get away with that."

"After having dreads for so long, it's going to feel a bit nude."

The O'Learys suggested buyers might use the dreads as keyrings, bookmarks, or even rework them into hairpieces.