Young activist Atticus McIlraith's long locks sheared for charity

Atticus McIlraith, a young activist known for raising money for Winnipeg Harvest, said goodbye to his long hair today to help both the food bank and CancerCare Manitoba.

The 12-year-old was cheered on by fellow students at cole J.B. Mitchell School as his long locks were lopped off during a 30-minute haircut Monday morning.

Just over $1,000 was raised for the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation and more than 900 kilograms of food will be donated to Winnipeg Harvest courtesy of Peak of the Market and Safeway.

"I wanted to cut my hair, but I wanted to do it for a good cause. I wanted to make a positive difference in someone's life," McIlraith said in a news release.

J.B. Mitchell principal Marie-France Giasson noted that McIlraith had been growing his hair for the past two years in order to donate the locks to a child who has cancer.

McIlraith first made headlines when he, at the age of 10, collected $1,000 worth of infant formula for Winnipeg Harvest in 2013.

• Winnipeg Harvest gets $1K in baby formula from 10-year-old
• 72 Manitoba kids recognized for good deeds

He's a member of the school's Global Kidizens, a group of community-minded students who tackle local and global issues.