The Lions Barber Collective has been at the forefront of championing mental health within the hair and barbering industry since 2015 and now its asking you to join the pride and volunteer at events across the UK. It recognises the unique role barbers and hairdressers play as trusted confidants for their clients. By fostering a safe and supportive environment, the charity aims to encourage open conversations about mental health – ultimately saving lives and improving overall well-being.
But they can’t do their amazing work without you, the barbering professional.
As a charity, the Lions Barber Collective raises awareness, lowers stigma and most importantly save lives.
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Suicide Statistics
There were 5,583 suicides were registered in 2021 in England and Wales, 6.9% higher than in 2020 (5,224 deaths), and equivalent to an age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) of 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people.
Globally someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds.
The Lions Barber Collective History
After losing a friend to suicide, Torquay-based barber Tom Chapman decided to do something about the biggest killer of young men in the UK.
Since then he has made it his mission to propel the stigma of mental ill health among men into the mainstream. In 2015 he founded the Lions Barber Collective, an international group of barbers who have undergone training in how to recognise symptoms of mental ill health in clients and signpost them to relevant support services.
The group helps to raise awareness of mental illness and aims to prevent suicide by creating training that enables barbers to recognise, talk and listen out for symptoms of depression.
Tom has also created Hair & Beauty Talk a training programme to arm barbers and hair professionals with the skills they need to be spot mental health sufferers and support clients, and founded the Collective Pride Awards in 2022.
The Collective Pride Awards 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.
Take a look at last year’s 2023 winners.
Tom has also delivered an inspirng and moving TED-X talk and created BarberTalk Lite, an online awareness programme for hair professionals.
Last year, The Lions Barber Collective teamed up with Ian Gough,Tom Wrigley and FastR to campaign a new RACE LAB-run McLaren Artura GT4 in the Intelligent Money British GT Championship.
Lions Barber Collective Patrons
In November 2023, Josh Pugh was named as the first-ever patron of The Lions Barber Collective, who were recently mentioned in the government’s Suicide prevention strategy for England (2023-2028).
Josh Pugh is a stand up comedian known for his sharp wit and unique storytelling, and he has long been an advocate for mental health awareness. In a generous gesture to support The Lions Barber Collective’s fundraising efforts, and supplementary to his role as patron, Josh has kindly donated tickets to his upcoming shows, which will be used to raise funds for the charity – enabling them to continue their vital work in providing mental health support and education.
If you’re interested in volunteering with the Lions Barber Collective or want to become part of the Pride, head here to find out how to donate your time and your money.
Email cara@lionsbarbercollective.com to find out about volunteering opportunities.