Eight hair and beauty industry professionals have been recognised in the Collective Pride Awards 2021 – an event which recognises beauty therapists, hairdressers and barbers who go above and beyond for others and their local communities
The awards, which was launched this year by mental wellbeing and suicide prevention charity The Lions Barbers Collective, recognises professionals who not only deliver exceptional services day in, day out, for clients, but who also go the extra mile to help others in need.
The Professional Beauty Group (which includes Professional Beauty, Hairdressers' Journal and Modern Barber) is the official media partner for the awards. The winners will all be recognised in-person at a glamourous event at the Barber-Surgeons Hall in London on January 17, 2022.
The winners of the Collective Pride Awards 2021 are:
Beyond Business Award – winner: Craig’s Barbershop
This award recognises a salon where the effort goes way beyond business expectation, with the team doing way more than their competitors. Craig’s Barbershop won for using the days the salon is closed to go into the community and help a specialist nursery that works with children with additional needs.
Most of the children have non-verbal autism, so the team spend their time helping the children get desensitised to the experience of getting their hair cut in a comfortable setting they feel safe in.
More Than Award – winner: Stewart Roberts at Haircuts 4 Homeless
This award recognises the creative, heroic and understanding of someone who works in the beauty and hair industry, proving that they are so much more than people think.
Roberts created Haircuts4Homless in 2014 after volunteering at a Salvation Army in Essex. The group now has 68 projects across the UK & Ireland, 600 volunteers and has given more than 40,000 haircuts to the homeless. “It’s about respect, connection, touch and communication,” said Roberts.
Against The Odds Awards – winner: Tyler Gray, from the Hair@theAcademy team
This award will recognises a young person (under 21 years olds) currently undertaking training, an apprenticeship or working part-time in a salon.
Gray enrolled at Hair@theAcademy on a Level 2 in hair and beauty aged just 15 and has never left. He has battled with anxiety and mental health issues, but five years on, through one-to-one training, ongoing care and support, he’s developed into a confident young man. He also works part-time as a carer at a special needs home.
My Saviour Award – winner: Georgia Bell at Society in Rotherham
This award recognises a person who a client regards as their “savour”; someone who has helped and given them support during a tough time in their lives.
The client said about Bell: “She cuts my twins hair – they have complex ASD, ADHD and learning difficulties that are non-verbal. I found out about the quiet sessions [at the salon] via special school as my boys had been asked to leave salons previously.
"I’m socially isolated and had relocated from Swansea when my boys were one. Their disabilities stopped me having access to the community and ‘normal’ friends. As time passed my boys went from grade two all over to now having real styles. Georgia has taken them to the shop, asked around with them and given them time no other stylist ever has.”
Sam Wall Unsung Hero Award – winner: Paul Lofthouse
An individual is nominated for this award for truly superlative effort to help others, going above and beyond the call of duty within the industry or within their community.
Lofthouse has been directly affected by suicide when his father took his own life in April 2020 while in hospital being treated for Covid-19. His mother also passed away one day later of Covid-19 in hospital.
Since then, Lofthouse has campaigned with The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Essex to improve its mental health strategy, convincing them that they need to take mental health as seriously as physical health in all areas, from admission to discharge. This has led to a full review of the hospital’s clinical mental health strategy.
Special Recognition Awards:
There were three categories in this section:
The Lifetime Achievement Award – winner: Leanne Hughes, hair lecturer at Abingdon & Witney College
This award recognises someone who stands out for their exceptional patronage to the charity and who has in the past 12 months relentlessly gone above and beyond to help and support others.
The Exceptional Educator Award – winner: Mary Pugsley, MBE, Hair@theAcademy
Awarded to the tutor who delivers beyond the curriculum, making students feel valued, recognised and supporting them unconditionally throughout their studies. Pugsley offers work-ready qualifications to disadvantaged young people.
Exceptional College – winner: Milton Keynes College
This is awarded to a college that demonstrates incomparable support to its students and fully maintains the Lions Barber Collective ethos. All MK College’s students have put their hair students through the BarberTalk Lite online training for years.
Please join us in congratulating all the winners.