Grant Carr brings local businesses and community support together to help families prepare for the new school year.
Published:A Glasgow salon owner has once again brought his free Back-to-School haircut initiative to the local community, helping families with the rising costs of preparing children for the start of a new school year.
Following the success of last year’s event, which saw around 50 children receive free haircuts, Grant Carr expanded the initiative this year with the aim of reaching even more families and providing more of the essentials children need before returning to school.
For one day, the Columkille Church Parish Hall was transformed into a temporary salon, with Grant and his team providing free haircuts to local children.
The event was organised alongside the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Family Support Hub, which provided families with donations including school uniforms, stationery and food staples.
This year also saw several local businesses come together to support the initiative. Scran and Roadie provided pizza and drinks, while the team from Super Park helped keep the children entertained while they waited for their haircuts.
The collaborative approach meant families could access several forms of support in one place, while making the experience more enjoyable for the children.
A total of 80 children received haircuts during the event, with Grant Carr joined by Ray Murdoch, Carmen Innes, Dean Lamb and Sofia Karnejenko, as well as Grant’s former teacher and mentor, Mags Nolan.
For Grant, the event is about much more than providing a free haircut.
“You realise the impact this has for parents who are struggling financially at this time. The cost of sending your kids back to school is getting ridiculous; everything really starts to add up,”
– Grant.
“Bringing the kids into our city centre salon would be too much too, so we take it to them. Giving back is great, but it’s really about making the kids feel confident and ready for that first day of school and a great haircut can go a long way towards this.”
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The event highlighted just how quickly the costs associated with starting a new school year can mount up for families. For some parents, a haircut can become an expense that has to be pushed down the list when uniforms, stationery and food are also needed.
One parent described feeling “overwhelmed with happiness” by the unexpected generosity of the local community.
With four girls to prepare for school, she explained that getting their hair cut had not been a priority. Receiving school uniforms and having the children fed that day provided an additional source of relief.
The Cambuslang and Rutherglen Family Support Hub was also available throughout the event to speak with families and offer information about further ongoing support.
By bringing together local hairdressers, businesses and community organisations, Grant’s Back-to-School initiative demonstrates how salons can play a role beyond the traditional salon environment. They’re using their skills and connections to support the communities they serve.
And for the children heading back to school, the result was simple: a fresh haircut, a boost of confidence and one less expense for their families.
More Info:
GRANT CARR: @grant_carr_
Salon Owner: Garçon @garcon.glasgow
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