A Mount Maunganui early childhood teacher has chopped off her 'messy mum bun” to donate to a good cause and give her young charges a lesson in the importance of giving back to your community.

Anita Smith, an early childhood teacher at ABC Bayfair, has been growing her hair to donate it to be made into a wig.

Hairdresser Sara Carswell from Dime Friday responded to a Facebook post calling for a volunteer to carry out the mop chop and visited the early childhood centre earlier this week to cut the required 14 inches off the natural blonde's head.

'I thought it would be good to get the kids involved because it's going to be a huge change. It was way down my back. I have to donate 14 inches so I left about two inches because I didn't want to do a shave – I'm not that game!” says Anita.

The children at ABC Bayfair have been learning about being a part of the community and the importance of giving back.

Anita's four-year-old son Liam, who also attends the childcare centre, was thrilled that his Mum was going to have a haircut like his.

This is the second time Anita has cut off her hair for a cause. As a student at Te Puke High School 20 years ago she cut off her hair for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand's ‘Shave for a Cure' fundraiser.

Anita is donating her hair to Freedom Wigs, a Dunedin-based company that makes wigs for people with long-term hair loss, including medical conditions such as alopecia.

The hair must be healthy, undyed and at least 14 inches long. It is then posted, in the form of a ponytail, to Freedom Wigs who will pay the recipient cash or donate the proceeds to a charity of their choice.

Anita will decide together with the children at ABC Bayfair how the money will be spent – either helping a local family in need or a deserving organisation in their community.

'A huge part of our centre philosophy is whanaunatanga, which is keeping children and families at the heart of what we do. We're really trying to drill those dispositions into our kids.”