Stewart Roberts founder of Haircuts4Homeless is appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s New Year Honours List 2022.

Back in November 2014, Stewart was volunteering for the Salvation Army and decided to bring his scissors along. Afterwards, he posted some photos on Facebook and received an overwhelming response. Just like that, Haircuts4Homeless was born.

Haircuts4Homeless, is a charity where skilled hairdressers give their time to provide haircuts for homeless people in the UK. 

Today, Haircuts4Homeless is a registered charity with 67 projects across theUK & Ireland with 600 volunteer hairdressers and has given over 40,000 haircuts. 

“Whatever the causes of an individual’s homelessness, the consequences can be brutal. Homelessness damages people’s capability: they lose skills; they can’t think think about employment while worrying about housing; their health becomes impaired due to being homeless. It knocks their resilience, self-esteem and self-confidence.” 

“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. Homeless people have many challenges to face, one of them often being 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 so this service which for most is a luxury proves to be very popular.” Stewart Roberts, founder. 

One of people’s basic rights is for them to feel good about themselves and this service can give that to people. It may be “just a haircut”, but it’s the kindness shown that makes a homeless person know that people really care. 

“It was such an honour to receive this MBE and a real highlight after two challenging years. I have been working with the homeless for over seven years and no one really knows how much it completes me.

“Having battled with addiction for many years it has given me an empathy and understanding that enables me to make a connection with our guests and quickly form a trust that is essential in what we do. 

“It has not been an easy road with covid and challenges to secure funding; however, this award is in recognition of our army of volunteers and guests,” said Stewart Roberts MBE. 

https://www.haircuts4homeless.com/
https://www.stewartroberts.net/ https://www.facebook.com/Haircuts4HomelessUK/

The team at Leaf Scissors have produced some simple exercises and advice on how to start making goals in 2022.

The pandemic and its consequent restrictions plunged our industry into the most difficult and turbulent period many of us have ever experienced. And while we may now be adjusting to the ‘new normal’ and life post-Covid, the repeated disruption, uncertainty and disappointment of the last two years has taken its toll – financially and emotionally. For many, making long term plans still feels bold and ambitious – we’ve become so accustomed to rescheduling appointments, holidays and special occasions, that setting goals for the future seems risky.  

Feeling demotivated and unfocused can have a knock-on effect in all areas of your life and if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that mental health needs to be a priority. To look after others adequately – your clients and colleagues, for example – you need to first look after yourself. 

With this in mind, the team behind Leaf Scissors and Leaf Academy have devised five easy tips to help visualise your future and realise your goals. Whether you’re a salon-based stylist needing motivation, a manager looking to re-energise your team or a freelancer keen to get your mojo back, these simple exercises are designed to create a positive mindset and fuel your ambition for a more successful and productive you, giving you the tools to start the new year with your best foot forward. 

1. Switch off 

Spend some time by yourself; choose a place that feels peaceful with no distractions. Turn off your phone and think about your life and your goals. Disregard what anyone else’s opinion might be – the process is a personal journey for you. What do YOU want from life? What do YOU want to achieve in your career? 

2. Use visual aids 

Look for imagery or videos that summarise your goals. Try Pinterest, Google or Instagram, or choose magazines and books that represent the core of a goal for you. Hairdressers are creative artists and having visual cues allows you to really focus on what you want to achieve. 

3. Ask yourself four key questions: 

• What changes do you want to create for yourself in the next year? 

• What changes do you want to create for yourself in the next 5 years?  

• What potential issues could you come across whilst implementing these changes? 

• In what ways are you committed to creating these changes?  

Visualise your future. The world is full of endless opportunities for you, all you have to do is believe that are within your reach and remind yourself of them every day! Bring them to life and manifest them! 

4. Make a five-year plan 

Commit to doing this regularly in order to re-evaluate your dreams and aspirations.  

5. Make your goals a reality  

Talk to people about your goals and tell them what it is you want to achieve. Once they’re out in the world and people know about them, they’re much more likely to become a reality. 

HM Treasury has confirmed to the NHBF that hair & beauty salons are eligible for the new Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). You must apply to your Local Authority, which each sets its own application criteria and review applications. There is currently £250 million left in the ARG pot in addition to the £100 million announced today. 

Richard Lambert, chief executive says: “We welcome this additional financial support for our industry and urge salon owners to check as soon as possible if they are eligible for a grant from their Local Authority. For many people this could be the vital help they need to save their salons from the devastating impact of the Omicron Variant.” 

Find your local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council 

In addition, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak also announced the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) – the SSPRS will help small and medium-sized employers – those with fewer than 250 employees – by reimbursing them for the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences, for up to two weeks per employee. This scheme will be reintroduced from mid-January 2022.  

A CLIPPER STEEPED IN BARBERING HISTORY GETS A NEW COPPER MAKEOVER FOR THE NEW YEAR 

Andis® Company, a leading manufacturer of barbering, styling and grooming tools, announced the launch of its iconic Master® Cordless Clipper — a hero tool among barbers the world over — with a sleek, new copper finish. The copper-colored, corrosion- resistant housing, black blades and matching premium charging stand make the Master Cordless Limited-Edition Copper Clipper a visually stunning addition to any station.

“We’re excited to release the Master cordless clipper in a limited-edition copper finish to give barbers and stylists the opportunity to stand out in the shop and express their personal style,” said Angie Vlasaty Peterson, Andis VP of Marketing. “The Master is an icon in the barbering world, evolving from the original corded Andis Clipper to the cordless powerhouse tool of today. Its high-speed performance is why you find it in the hands of today’s top creators — this is a top-tier clipper for the professional who isn’t afraid to let their confidence shine.”

This limited-edition Master’s housing and blade colors are applied using an innovative PVD coating process that is more durable than paint to resist scratching for a long-lasting finish. Each clipper comes equipped with a black Taper blade that adjusts from 000 to 1 to take on anything from tapers to faux hawks and includes a complimentary Fade blade for skin-close results (a $50 value). Both blades feature a 28-tooth cutter compared to the standard 22-tooth for greater precision and performance. The two adjustable blades and a set of five premium metal clip combs allow endless versatility for creating behind the chair.

Similar to the best-selling Master Cordless Clipper in silver, this Limited-Edition Copper Clipper has an incredibly powerful, high-speed rotary motor that’s perfect for sculpting all hair types and styles. The extra long-lasting lithium-ion battery stays strong for more than 90 minutes per charge, so barbers and stylists don’t have to worry about unleashing their creative vision.

You can purchase the new Master Cordless Limited-Edition Copper Clipper exclusively at andis.com. MSRP: $370.00

PANTONE Colour of the Year: Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri

The leading global authority of colour, PANTONE, has officially revealed the Year’s Colour for 2022:  PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, a vibrant peri-winkle blue with violet-red undertones.  

OSMO® Global Ambassador Michael Convey and owner of Convey Salons, Stokesley shares his thoughts on the new colour trend: “I think the new colour of the year will be very on trend for clients. It’s so soft and pretty and we’ve seen versions of this coming through over the last few months already.  Although blondes tend to be warming things up at the minute, I think by the summer 2022, we will see clients starting to play with tones like this. This is similar to how we saw the rebel streak with apricot tones popping just around the face – this will be a great way to introduce clients to the new colour of the year.” 

To embrace the new yearly hue, reach for the OSMO Color Psycho in Wild Violet, apply to pre-lightened / bleached hair and leave for 15 – 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly and voila, on-trend hair is ready to go.  

The OSMO Color Psycho collection is available in 14 incredible shades. The semi-permanent colours can last up to six weeks and the ready-to-use formula is ammonia and peroxide free, and even conditions hair as the vibrant colour is deposited. 

Size: 150ml 

Price: RRP £8.45 

Available from your nearest wholesaler, visit osmouk.com for a list of locations.  

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK and Ireland is OUT NOW.

Get your copy here!

Firing into 2022

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK and Ireland is OUT NOW. This issue is packed full of advice, features and trends to keep you up to date with what’s current.  

Gracing the coveted front cover is a talent in the ascension, Dean Gleeson, who has recently been named Professional Barber World Series Barber of the Year, and brand ambassador for Dapper Dan. Dean has some great advice on how to elevate your career. First thing to do is enter competitions.  He is proof that his advice works as he finds himself on stage and being featured in the barbering press.

Also, in this issue we are hugely excited to introduce Simon Shaw as our new columnist. Simon is known for his expertise, knowledge and incredible stage presence. As Wahl’s Global Artistic Director and now the team leader of the Fellowship of British Hairdressing Project:Men, Simon has plenty to report in his column ‘Shaw Times’.

Also joining the BarberEVO columnists are Rum Barber’s Paul Montgomery and Joseph Goss. Known as the go-to duo for impartial reviews on any new tools and tech that hits the market, they are perfectly placed to offer advice and direction to BarberEVO readers on what’s living up to the hype.

Events

They are back! We feature an update from the organiser of Barber Connect, Europe’s biggest barbering show that is scheduled for June 2022 in Telford. He tells us what to expect after two years of absence, and how now is the time to book FREE tickets for the event.

New year trends

A new year brings new looks, and we have the views of the industry’s top barbers about what trends we are likely to see in 2022. There’s an overall consensus that longer hair is back, and the mullet is making a comeback, albeit with an updated look.

Marketing

How you market and brand your business is up for discussion, and we talk to Octane Hairdressing for Men, which has an amazingly strong brand about why that matters. Also, we talk to Where’s It App, a specialist app company that can help nail down your brand with a bespoke app that makes customers lives easier by integrating your own brand into your booking app. 

Additional services

Cutting hair is your bread and butter but what about all those additional services you are missing out on. Shaving, facials, and colour, to name just a few. Have a look through our additional services feature and see what you could easily implement into your service menu. 

We speak to Colin Petrie (Hard Grind) who has taken additional services to a whole new level by adding coffee shops, cafés and apparel to the Hard Grind brand. He has some great advice on what works as additional services in the barbershop.

Clippers and trimmers

We can’t work without them, but what works for you? Everyone has their favourites, and the choice is vast. We speak to industry pros about what clippers and trimmers are their go-to’s and we have the expert view of tool reviewers Rum Barber to help make your mind up.

Get your hands on the latest edition here.

Due to the rising number of Covid cases, The Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the largest and most inclusive trade organization representing the entire beauty industry, has made the difficult decision to postpone January events until the spring and summer months. 

NAHA, the most prestigious professional beauty competition and award show in North America, will be shifting to Sunday, April 3 and will remain at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, CA.

Beacon, the elite student program, will also be shifting to April. It will now take place April 2-3 at the Long Beach Convention Center, where top students from across the nation will come together to learn critical skills to help successfully launch their careers in the beauty industry.

ISSE will also be shifting dates, moving to June 25-26 at the Long Beach Convention Center. ISSE 2022 will feature interactive education from the industry’s top hair, skin, nail, and makeup educators and influencers, unique experiences, along with new and innovative exhibitors.

“While moving dates is not ideal, we felt it was the safest way to move forward for all in attendance,” says Nina Daily, Executive Director of the Professional Beauty Association.

“Protocols will be in place for the new event dates to ensure the continued safety of attendees and exhibitors.”

Previously purchased events tickets will simply transfer to the new dates, or contact isse@csreg.zohodesk.com for refunds and ISSE@probeauty.org for questions. New hotel reservation links will be available in the upcoming weeks for all events.

The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) is calling for government support as the results of its latest poll show that salons and barbershops are experiencing unprecedented levels of cancellations during their busiest month of the year due to clients having to self-isolate or changing their mind as a result of Plan B and the emergence of the Omicron variant.

In a month which usually sees salon columns fully booked and waiting lists in place, 73% of respondents had experienced cancellations, with 56% reporting a reduction in advance bookings following the recent changes to government guidance. More than half the respondents said that the cancellations had already caused a lot of disruption to their businesses.  December is the busiest month of the year for the hair and beauty industry, setting salons and barbershops up financially for the quieter months of the new year. Now many in the industry are under extreme pressure to stay afloat.

28% of businesses also reported disruption in the salon due to staff shortages and staff having to self-isolate.

NHBF chief executive Richard Lambert commented: “This situation is evolving rapidly, but it’s already clear that the government needs to act before it becomes a crisis.

“The industry had shown its resilience and was on the path to recovery, but early indications show that that the combination of Omicron and Plan B are having a drastic effect on bookings and footfall in salons during a time in which the sector relies heavily on cash generated in December to get them through the quieter months in January and February. Many of our members tell us their finances are still finely balanced, and this sudden fall-away could be devastating.

“The government needs to provide targeted financial support to help the industry quickly, whether by reallocating existing resources or making new support available. We are also calling for an increase in the 50% discount on business rates for next year and flexibility on repayments of CBILS (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme) and bounce back loans to offer much needed support to those suffering financial hardship.”

Paul Lofthouse will be celebrating this festive season, having just been named as the winner of the Sam Wall Unsung Hero Award at the brand-new Collective Pride Awards, sponsored by Professional Beauty.

Launched by mental wellbeing and suicide prevention charity The Lions Barber Collective, the Collective Pride Awards recognise the hard work of unsung hair and beauty heroes across the UK, in eight categories – those who not only deliver exceptional services day in, day out, but go the extra mile to help others in a time of need, genuinely making a difference to someone’s life.

Tom Chapman, founder of The Lions Barber Collective said:

“After losing award-winning barber, LBC Ambassador and friend Sam Wall to suicide last year, I wanted to do something to keep his name alive – celebrating those who really look after their clients and the communities they sit within, as well as those who go above and beyond to make a difference to the industry. I am so proud that Paul Lofthouse has been awarded the Sam Wall Unsung Hero Award for the phenomenal work he has been doing within the industry, and work like his is the reason the Collective Pride Awards were born.”

Paul Lofthouse won the Sam Wall Unsung Hero Award for work he has done in mental health diagnosis and treatment, suicide prevention and suicide bereavement services. Paul lost his father to suicide in April 2020, and has dedicated a large amount of his time to working with Hospitals and looking services in Hertfordshire & Essex to ensure mental heal this treated as seriously as physical health and that support is available for those who need it.

He said:

“It is a huge honour to win this award and I dedicate it to my Father, who we lost to suicide and my Mother who we lost to Covid-19, both in April 2020. I look forward to collecting my award in January.”

Tickets to the Awards Ceremony, which is taking place on Monday 17 January at the Barber Surgeon’s Hall in London. Tickets are now available to purchase via Eventbrite.

Jim Shaw of Toni&Guy, Billericay, offers some advice on how to make sure you are fully prepped for the new year.

2022 is only a month away and it’s important that we are prepared for the New Year in order to get it off to a smooth and successful start.  

1. Think about your service menu – are there any additional men’s services you could be offering? Men no longer just want to come into the salon/barbershop for a haircut anymore, they want to come for a pampering experience, which may include having a facial or manicure or even just adding some additional hair or beard treatments. Talk to your clients now about what services they would like to see in the salon, do some research and offering something exciting to your loyal clients for the New Year, which may also attract new clients into the salon too if you’re offering something that your competitors aren’t. 

2. Put in plans to motivate your team – coming back from time off during the Christmas period can be hard and you want your team to be as motivated a possible to be able to deliver the very best services to your clients. Start to look now at training sessions that may be available at the start of the New Year. Training could be via yourself, another industry men’s hairdresser or barber, or even a men’s haircare brand. Keep your team inspired to allow them to ensure they want to deliver their very best when they come to work. 

3. Communicate with your clients – clients are the key to our success and we should always be communicating with them to encourage them to come back to our salons/barbershops and to show them that we care. It’s a good idea to put into action a plan on how to better communicate with clients in the New Year, be this via social media, newsletters or text messages. Tell your clients what you have been working on and also inform them of anything new happening in your salon or barbershop. This could be new products, new services, new team members or also any offers or discounts you are offering that may encourage them to come in in the New Year. 

4. Keep your salon/barbershop looking its best – Covid has been around for some time now and it’s not going away anywhere anytime soon. Client’s want to feel comfortable and at ease visiting your space and know that your cleanliness and safety measures are of a high standard. Take some time during the Festive period to have a clean and to ensure all safety measures are up to scratch. Take photos of your space looking as gleaming as ever to help attract clients in the New Year. 

5. Think about the quieter months of January/February now – It’s a great idea to encourage clients to come book into the salon/barbershop for their January/February appointments now to try and fill spaces in these quieter months as much as possible. In December, talk to your clients about booking in for their next appointment in January/December and also try to encourage clients to book gift vouchers as Christmas gifts that their loved ones can enjoy in the New Year. You may also want to look into some offers you can promote in January/February to attract clients to make bookings. Promote these now to get as much return as possible. You can also think of fun ideas such as handing out cards to your clients who come in during December with a discount if they book in January or February. This is also a nice little way to say thank you to your clients.