Created by veteran hairdresser Stewart Roberts, Haircuts4Homeless is a community of skilled hairdressers who volunteer to provide free haircuts for homeless people. The premise that the simple act of a haircut can give a homeless person a mental and emotional boost has struck a chord with the public, who through The People’s Project, nominated the group to receive Lottery Funding.
Inspired by hairdressing communities doing their bit for the homeless in other parts of the world Stewart started his project in Havering and currently has 45 locations across the UK and Ireland. “With the right amount of support, we plan to roll it out across the UK and beyond,” says Stewart. “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.”
The People’s Project is a partnerships between the Big Lottery Fund (the biggest distributor of National Lottery Funding), ITV and The National Lottery.