A hair salon in Wokingham has provided hundreds of complimentary haircuts to charity workers, carers and volunteers as part of a long-running community support scheme.
Haringtons Wokingham has been running its Haringtons Helps initiative for the past five years, offering free hair appointments to people who support others in the local community or who may be in need of a morale boost.
According to the salon, around 800 complimentary haircuts have been delivered across its wider salon group since the scheme began. Recipients have included charity volunteers, carers and members of the public nominated by friends or family.
The salon works with a range of charities and organisations connected to its local area. These include Samaritans, Thames Hospice, ScanAppeal, The Rainbow Trust, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, Winchester Cathedral, Trinity Homeless Support, RSPCA Bucks, The Link visiting scheme and WADE.
As well as formal charity partnerships, members of the public are also invited to nominate individuals who they believe deserve recognition. Nominees may include neighbours, colleagues or relatives who are facing a difficult period or who regularly put others’ needs before their own. Successful nominations receive a complimentary cut and blow-dry.
Several partner organisations have spoken positively about the scheme. A spokesperson for the Samaritans said the gesture was “a thoughtful act of appreciation” for volunteers who give significant time to supporting others. Thames Hospice described the experience as “a real confidence boost”, while volunteers from the Link Visiting Scheme said it helped them feel valued and recognised.
Staff at the salon say the initiative has also had a positive effect internally, reinforcing the importance of small acts of kindness and community connection.
The salon says it intends to continue the scheme and encourages people to put forward nominations for individuals they feel deserve a moment of care. Further information is available via the salon’s website.
