New National Awards Celebrating Hair & Beauty Professionals Who Make a Difference

Devon based mental wellbeing and suicide prevention charity, The Lions Barber Collective (LBC) launches the Collective Pride Awards to reward beauty, hair and barber professionals who are doing amazing things that would otherwise go unnoticed..

The Collective Pride Awards, the brainchild of Lion’s Barbers founder Tom Chapman, has been launched to recognise beauty, hair and barber professionals who go above and beyond the call of duty, acknowledging that these industry professionals offer so much more than just personal care treatments.

‘We all know that hair & beauty pros make you look great on the outside, for years the industry has celebrated those at the top of their professional game, but they also do so much for those in their chairs or on their treatment tables when it comes to mental health and support. It is now time that we celebrate those unsung heroes that listen to and look after you and your families for years and years. If your barber, hairstylist or beautician is your hero we ask you to nominate them to recognise their efforts!’ Tom Chapman – Founder

The brand-new awards will recognise the hard work of unsung hair and beauty heroes (individuals and teams) from across the whole of the UK. It will honour those who not only deliver exceptional personal care services day in, day out, but those who go the extra mile to help others in a time of need, genuinely making a difference to someone’s life.

Tom said “After losing my close friend, award-winning barber, and LBC Ambassador Sam Wall to suicide last year, I wanted to do something to keep his name alive, and to celebrate professionals from the hair and beauty industry who really look after their clients and the communities where they live and work. Also, those who put in the extra mile to make a difference to our industry,”

The Awards ceremony itself will be held at the historic 700 year old site of the Barber Surgeon’s Hall, in the City of London on what is traditionally known as ‘Blue Monday’ in an effort to create a positive mood of celebration of what is traditionally known as the ‘most depressing day of the year’. The venue itself has been home to the livery company since the times of Henry VIII and even hosts an original Holbein painting of King Henry VIII with his Barber Surgeons. It has been 100’s of years since barbers put down the scalpel and ceased dabbling in physical health, but the hair & beauty industry has continued to be a kind ear and a shoulder for their clients and community, with the nation needing them more than ever in this post pandemic world.

Barber Surgeon’s Hall

There are 8 Collective Pride Awards categories as listed below

‘Beyond Business’ Award – awarded to the barbershop, nail spa or hair and beauty salon where the effort goes way beyond business expectation, with the team doing way more than their competitors. A business at the hub of the community. To enter this category, the awards team want to know what makes your business so special. For example, maybe your team has raised funds for a wellbeing cause or has created an initiative to support a specific activity to benefit the local community.

‘More Than’ Award – for too long people have said, “I’m just a barber” or “I’m just a beauty therapist”. This award will recognise the creative, heroic and understanding people who work in the beauty and hair industry, proving that they are so much more than people think.

‘Against the Odds’ Award – to recognise a young person (under 21) currently undertaking training, an apprenticeship or working part-time in a beauty salon, hairdressers or barbershop. The Awards team want to hear about the special individual who, in the face of adversity, challenges or difficulties, has the resolve, grit and fortitude to give 100 percent to their job in order to succeed.

‘My Saviour Award’ – to recognise a hairdresser, barber or beauty therapist who a client regards as their “savour”; someone who has helped and given them support during a tough time in their lives. This person will be nominated by their client, not their colleagues.

Special Recognition Awards

The Lifetime Achievement Award –to recognise 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 – awarded to the tutor who delivers beyond the curriculum, making students feel valued, recognised and supporting them unconditionally throughout their studies.

‘The Exceptional College’ Award – this is for the college demonstrating incomparable support to its students during the past 12 months and fully maintaining the Lions Barber Collective ethos.

The Sam Wall ‘Unsung Hero’ Award – the jewel in the Collective Pride Award’s crown. An individual can be nominated for this award for truly superlative effort to help others, going above and beyond the call of duty within the hair, beauty, and barbering industry – or within their community.

If you know of a hair or beauty professional who has made significant impact on an individual, their community or the industry then please nominate them.