New National Awards Celebrating Hair and Beauty Professionals Who Made a Difference

Devon-based mental well-being and suicide prevention charity, The Lions Barber Collective (LBC), launches the Collective Pride Awards to reward beauty, hair, and barber professionals who do 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 just personal care treatments.

Tom Chapman, the founder, said: ‘We all know that hair and 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 to celebrate those unsung heroes who 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.’

The brand-new awards will recognise the hard work of unsung hair and beauty heroes (individuals and teams) from across 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 in someone’s life.

Tom added: ‘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’ 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 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. Still, the hair and 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.

There are eight 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 wants to know what makes your business so special. For example, maybe your team has raised funds for a well-being 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, hairdresser, or barbershop. The Awards team wants to hear about the special individual who faces adversity, challenges, or difficulties, has the resolve, grit, and fortitude to give 100% to their job 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. Their client, not their colleagues, will nominate this person.

Special recognition awards

• The Lifetime Achievement Award

To recognise someone who stands out for their exceptional patronage to the charity and 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 a 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 a significant impact on an individual, community, or industry, please nominate them.