NU Bar staff member plans leg wax and sky dive for charity

By Teresa Gallagher

One of the NuBar’s barmen, Jimmy English, had his legs waxed for the Bee for Battens charity on Monday.

The 21-year-old communications student volunteered to let anyone with a few euro rip strips of hot wax from his legs to raise money for the SU’s RAG Week charity.

When asked how he was feeling before the event he responded with: “Terrified, I have a low pain threshold.”

The wax event was supposed to take place the previous Monday but was cancelled due to low numbers.

“Loads of people signed up to the Facebook event but it’s hard to get people to commit. Mickey Joe Harte was playing in the bar that night and has offered to help me promote the event for next Monday.”

Jimmy’s employers originally laughed at the proposal but were supportive of the event, “All my friends have been great help with raising money and promoting the wax, particularly David Healy. Unfortunately some of them have been spreading rumours that I’m getting my private area waxed. I’d like to go on the record about that. There will be no Brazilian.”

Jimmy plans to continue raising funds for the Bee for Battens charity after the waxing and is planning to do a sky dive in January.

Battens Disease is a rare inherited disorder of the nervous system which usually occurs in young children. It affects children’s sight, speech and motor skills. They may begin to suffer seizures and over time they become severely physically and mentally impaired. Battens Disease is always fatal.

Bee for Battens was founded by Tony and Mary Heffernan after their daughter Saoirse was diagnosed with the disease. They found that there was no-one in Ireland who could provide the support and information they needed.

The charity aims to promote awareness of the illness and to educate medical professionals on the disease so they can provide the best advice and support to sufferers and their families.

It also promotes research in the hope of developing treatments, provides care and support to children in Ireland affected by the disease, and offers counselling and bereavement support to their families.