Do you know about Haircuts 4 Homeless?
A very excited Errol Douglas WhatsApped us yesterday from a session where he’d been cutting for the amazing charity Haircuts 4 Homeless. And we have to admit: this excellent initiative hadn’t been massively on our radar before.
It is, however, supported by some of the leading hairdressers out there – not only Errol but also Adam Reed, Neil Moodie and Eugene Souleiman (pictured above), among many others, who give up their time to cut the hair of homeless people. We really can’t write better than they do about what this project is all about - so here goes.
‘Haircuts4Homeless is a registered charity set up by veteran hairdresser Stewart Roberts (above, centre, and below, with Errol). Inspired by the actions of hairdressers in various parts of the world cutting hair for the homeless, Stewart set out not only to do this himself but to build a whole community of skilled hairdresser volunteers who give their time free of charge to give haircuts for homeless people.
Homeless people have many challenges to face, one of them often being a low self-esteem. A haircut can have a great effect on someone, giving them a real boost. It’s often way down on a homeless person’s priorities, with lack of money, so the service proves to be very popular.
One of people’s basic rights is for them to feel good about themselves and this service can give that to people.
Hairdressers have a known empathy and are great communicators. The industry is known for its generosity and willingness to help people therefore there are many that would willingly give some of their time and expertise. We started the project in Havering and, with the right amount of support, plan to roll it out across the UK & beyond. There is something very personal about cutting someone’s hair that can be both enjoyable and therapeutic which is something that many homeless people rarely get.
It may be "just a haircut", but it's the kindness shown that makes a homeless person know that people really care.’
We think this is the most fantastic cause. One of the big challenges facing all charities at the moment isn’t just that many people are being very cautious about the cash, but that the COVID crisis is shrinking our horizons and making us think about everything that’s going on very close to home – rather than the bigger picture. This is Big Picture Stuff, about making the world a better place, not just a ‘safer’ place.
We made a donation ourselves, this morning. If you’d like to do the same, the button’s below.
Or to read more about Haircuts 4 Homeless and their FAB work, just click here.
