Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A cut above
Barber shop and charity team up to help homeless
A BIG-HEARTED barber shop has opened its doors to the homeless right before Christmas.
But it wasn’t just free hair cuts and beard trims on offer – food, drink and clothing were also available at The Man Shack yesterday.
The barbers in Wellington Place in Belfast city centre teamed up with local charity Outsidein, a streetwear brand and social enterprise that seeks to end homelessness.
Man Shack owner Kenny Parker said they wanted to give something back this Christmas.
He added:“we thought about doing this a few weeks ago but weren’t really sure how to go about it, then David, the CEO of Outsidein mentioned getting involved so decided to just go for it.
“I’ve got seven barbers coming in and although we’re closed on Sundays I was happy to pay them for their time but they’ve all offered to do it for free, they wanted to give something back too.
“We’ve also teamed up with District Coffee who are providing hot drinks, soup, rolls, buns as well and all the barbers are donating their old clothes as well.”
The Man Shack also encouraged members of the public who want to donate clothes to call in to the barbers.
David Johnston, of Outsidein explained why they wanted to help the homeless.
He said: “It’s not just about giving haircuts. “It’s about making them feel like they are part of society, and even if that’s just the first step in transforming homelessness. It’s a huge step in the right direction.
“I believe it’s more than a haircut and Kenny will tell you that, it’s a whole experience, and that’s what they do at The Man Shack.
“They want to give that person on the street that same experience but to also have someone to listen to them.”
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