Hair Raising 23, a campaign by education charity Project Eileen and supported by celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, is the first to offer guidance to hairdressers and barbers on how to talk to clients experiencing bereavement and grief.
Project Eileen is a registered charity founded to proactively help teenagers cope with bereavement, death and grief, providing schools with free multimedia teaching resources on these important topics. The charity is calling on salons, stylists and barbers to support its Hair Raising 23 campaign which will run from Saturday 14 October to Saturday 28 October 2023.
For Hair Raising 23, Project Eileen has produced an exclusive Fact Sheet for hairdressers and barbers with practical advice on how to talk to clients who are experiencing bereavement and grief. The charity is aware that many people depend on their hairdresser or barber for sharing their issues, often including their grief following bereavement or other life-changing events. To get involved with Hair Raising 23 and receive its Fact Sheet, salons and barbershops can email hairraising23@
The Fact Sheet is the first of its kind in the hairdressing industry and includes details of the support that bereaved people say they would like to receive from others. It contains examples of helpful things to say and things to avoid saying to clients, as well as information on the process of grieving and the emotions involved.
Every salon and barbershop taking part in Hair Raising 23 will be provided with a campaign pack containing the Fact Sheet, a video guide on how to talk to bereaved customers and promotional material. Plus, a laminated QR code that enables people to easily donate to the charity. Project Eileen will promote all barbers and hairdressers taking part in Hair Raising 23 on social media with logos and photos. Likewise, participant businesses are asked to encourage clients to spread the word about Project Eileen’s work and follow the charity on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, Hon Doc D Arts, and Patron of Project Eileen comments: “There are many personal conversations that happen in the salon with clients and I know I can speak for hairdressers in general when I say that we are not trained on how to deal with the conversation of bereavement. So, Project Eileen will help many of us in the industry by providing practical guidance on how to navigate those tricky but important chats with clients.”
As a renowned educator, check out how else Andrew Barton helps hairdressers to develop their skills and confidence here.