The owner of Eddie's Street Cuts community project in Bath will cycle 4,000 miles across the US, providing free haircuts for people experiencing homelessness.
Eddie Ilic, who started Eddie's Street Cuts almost nine years ago years ago, will set off on the trip in April 2027, hoping to inspire hairdressers around the world that the profession is about so much more than just hair.
Eddie will travel from New York to Los Angeles, stopping in five cities to provide free hair cuts to homeless people alongside local charities and volunteer hairdressers.
Eddie's Street Cuts has grown into a team of volunteers who give up their own time to provide free haircuts for people experiencing homelessness across Bath and Bristol.
"What started as one idea has become a real community, and seeing other hairdressers wanting to get involved has been one of the greatest gifts," says Eddie.
"It began with just me, a pair of clippers and a belief that something as simple as a haircut could help someone feel human again. We all have the ability to change someone's day, and sometimes even their life, simply by giving our time.
"I never started this project expecting anything in return. I simply wanted to use the skills I'd been given to help people who were going through difficult times."
In 2026, Eddie recieved an Honorary Doctorate from Bath Spa University in recognition of his work, and says this project is deeply personal to him, as someone in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
"Recovery gave me my life back, and Eddie's Street Cuts has become my way of giving back," he continues. "Every haircut is about much more than the finished result. It's about sitting with someone, listening to their story and reminding them that they're seen, valued and worthy of kindness."
Image credits go to Eddie Ilic.
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