Mental Health Charity opens their first location to support the community, create funds and sustainability, located on iconic Carnaby St. London.
The Lions Barber Collective was founded in 2015 after Tom Chapman lost a close friend to suicide in 2014. Tom realised that the bond between a barber and their clients was not only a long-lasting relationship, but also a very intimate one based on trust. This led to the development of the award winning life saving training, BarberTalk and Hair&BeautyTalk which empowers hair professionals to RECOGNISE the signs someone may be struggling, ASK good, open questions, LISTEN with empathy and without judgement and then HELP that person find the HELP they need. Bridging the gap between the communities they serve and the resources and professionals that are available.
72% of people who take their life have not had any contact with mental health services in the 12 months before they die…They have probably had a haircut.
The innovative Carnaby Street location will be offering haircuts and beard shape ups at two beautiful barbering stations with exceptional service and a client journey that begins with a scalp detox treatment, shampoo and conditioning massage and finished with high end hair products and War Paint Anti-Shine. The cost of each service is completely non-profit, meaning that after the barber themselves have been paid the rest of money will be donated to Lions Barber Collective to enable free BarberTalk training for hair professionals, campaigns for mental health awareness and sustainability of the charity. Carnaby Street is the first of many Lions Barbers that will all be a safe space for haircuts and headspace, creating value for donations in the fight against suicide.
Founder of Lions Barber Collective Tom Chapman said: “This is only the start, I hope to have Lions Barbers all over the country that can provide a safe space for those who need it, while connecting with all the local services available so we can bridge that gap in a place that holds no taboo or stigma for people to visit. I always wanted to draw funds through value instead of guilt and create a sustainable model for the charity and this is a huge step towards that. Through paying for a haircut at this store you will be aiding us to train more hair professionals so we can have a bigger impact reaching more people in chairs far and wide. The nations mental health has been hugely affected by the pandemic and the hair salons and barbershops are a place we have longed to be, I truly believe that if we support the hair industry, they can support the nation!”
The space within the store at 29 Carnaby Street has been gifted to Lions Barber Collective by War Paint Founder, Danny Gray meaning that there are no overheads for the charity at all. Combining this with the kind donation of all the barbering equipment and furniture from Aston & Fincher and salon software provided by Timely at no cost this really is a phenomenal achievement that has already started to have an impact on everyone who has already paid a visit since opening day on 24th July 2021.
Founder of War Paint for men Danny Gray said: “I’m so proud and excited to be opening the world's first men’s makeup brand store in London. For me it was so important that this wasn’t just about opening a shop to sell products, it was about creating somewhere for people to have an experience. I wanted to create a relaxed, inviting place to help men feel comfortable to have a conversation and learn more about makeup, get a haircut or even talk about mental health. Everything we’re trying to do as a brand is about normalising men using products and tools to help them feel more confident and our store is here to do just that.”
The Lions Barbers is now open for haircuts and beard trims and will be offering 20% off for all those who work in the Carnaby area, offering a safe space and great haircut. The barbers will be operating withing the stores opening hours and all barbers are fully trained in mental health awareness and listening skills.