Building on the success of last year’s event – the Collective Pride Awards will return this year with the award-presenting ceremony taking place on Monday 3rd April 2023 at London’s Barber Surgeons’ Hall, again with the media support of HJ, Professional Beauty and Modern Barber.
Sadly 72% of people who take their own life have had no contact with mental health services in the 12 months before they die. But there’s every chance they’ve had a haircut. The power of the hairdresser and the impact they have on their clients’ mental health is hugely underrated. Until now.
The Collective Pride Awards are the awards which make a difference: they are designed to reward hair, beauty and barbering professionals who go beyond the call of duty to help clients in their time of need – invariably when they are struggling with mental health – to genuinely make a difference to someone’s life.
Created by Lion’s Barber Collective (LBC) founder Tom Chapman, these awards recognise the compassionate work of our industries’ unsung heroes, who not only deliver exceptional personal care services day in, day out – but who truly do their utmost to help those in need.
Explains Tom: “When I lost my close friend, a terrific barber and LBC ambassador, Sam Wall, to suicide, I wanted to do something to keep his memory alive. I also realised how much we do to look after our clients, how we really do reach out to and can help clients we see struggling. I regret not recognising signs of distress in Sam and am now making it my mission to focus on seeing the signs, share this with my fellow professionals to then offer the best help we can to make lives better – in some cases, actually save a life.”
Last year’s event drew great positive response form the many industry figureheads who attended. “If there’s one event to look out for, both as a nominee or attender, it’s the Collective Pride Awards,” said 2021 British Hairdresser of the Year and salon owner, Robert Eaton. “This event spotlights the rarely recognised side of the hair, barber and beauty industries, acknowledging and rewarding those who go beyond the call of duty to care for client’s mental health. An amazing cause and an absolutely fantastic event on the night.”
Being part of the Collective Pride Awards is simple: if you are proud of what you’ve done to help an individual or an aspect of your community, you can self-nominate for one of the award categories below, and the same applies if you want to nominate a colleague.
Entry is now open and close on 24th February, so visit www.collectiveprideawards.co.uk to find out more. The eight award categories are detailed below:
‘Beyond Business’ Award – sponsored by Phorest
Awarded to the barbershop, nail spa or hair and beauty salon where the effort goes way beyond business expectation, with the team doing way more than their competitors. A business at the hub of the community. To enter this category, the awards team want to know what makes your business so special. For example, maybe your team has raised funds for a wellbeing cause or has created an initiative to support a specific activity to benefit the local community.
‘More Than’ Award
For too long people have said, “I’m just a barber” or “I’m just a beauty therapist”. This award will recognise the creative, heroic and understanding people who work in the beauty and hair industry, proving that they are so much more than people think.
‘Against the Odds’ Award – sponsored by Denman
To recognise a young person (under 21) currently undertaking training, an apprenticeship or working part-time in a beauty salon, hairdressers or barbershop. The Awards team want to hear about the special individual who, in the face of adversity, challenges or difficulties, has the resolve, grit and fortitude to give 100 percent to their job in order to succeed.
‘My Saviour Award’
To recognise a hairdresser, barber or beauty therapist who a client regards as their “saviour”; someone who has helped and given them support during a tough time in their lives. This person will be nominated by their client, not their colleagues.
Special Recognition Awards
Special Recognition Awards are presented to exceptional individuals demonstrating outstanding support to the charity. These awards cannot be entered; recipients are identified by the Lions Barber Collective committee and board of trustees.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award –to recognise someone who stands out for their exceptional patronage to the charity and who has in the past 12 months relentlessly gone above and beyond to help and support others.
- The Exceptional Educator Award – awarded to the tutor who delivers beyond the curriculum, making students feel valued, recognised and supporting them unconditionally throughout their studies.
- The Exceptional College Award – sponsored by VTCT – This is for the college demonstrating incomparable support to its students during the past 12 months and fully maintaining the Lions Barber Collective ethos.
- The Sam Wall ‘Unsung Hero’ Award – this is the jewel in the Collective Pride Awards crown. An individual will be chosen from the winners of all the other categories by Lions Barber Collective Trustees to become our superhero, this award for truly superlative effort to help others, going above and beyond the call of duty within the hair, beauty, and barbering industry – or within their community. This award will be announced on the night.