‘It’s not just a haircut’: Hartlepool community pastor offers free haircuts to men in need

Graham McBain, 54, is a community pastor at the Headland Baptist Church, in Baptist Street, Hartlepool, and offers free haircuts to men in need and to those who would not normally have access to a barber.

Graham said: “It all started during lock down. I was living down in Surrey, cutting someone or other’s hair – not particularly well – and I thought, I would love to learn how to barber.

"It turned out there was a college at the end of the road doing it.

"I am in my 50s and I was being trained by a 25-year-old guy who owned his own shop.”

As part of his training at night college, Graham started cutting hair for men in the community and realised how much he enjoyed it.

He said: “I was having really good conversations with blokes and it was really valuable.”

Moving to Hartlepool, Graham continued to offer haircuts to people in the community free of charge and has now been a qualified barber for three years.

He said: “I do it to help the community, that is what I do. It just started out as a bit of a hobby really.”

Graham, who offers a mobile service, said: “A lot of my clients are housebound for whatever reason or just can’t afford a barber.

"I have a couple of sites in the town that help me and offer space if I need it.”

Graham’s efforts have already been noted after winning an award for his involvement in helping the community.

The Teesside Hero awards recognise people who have made a large impact on their community and give all winners a trophy and £1,000 to give to a local charity of their choice.

Graham offers his barbering services for free although people can also donate if they are able to.

Graham said: “The hope is that those who can afford to pay will and those who cannot will not.”

Graham can be contacted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/graham.the.barber.2024 or by emailing [email protected].