Dundee barber shop working with mental health charity to get men to talk about their problems

It’s not the first place you think of when it comes to seeking help for mental health issues.

But a Dundee barber shop has joined forces with a charity in a bid to get more people — particularly men — to talk about their problems.

Hard Grind has teamed up with mental health charity See Me Scotland to spread its Start Talking campaign across the barbering industry.

The team joins a growing list of hairdressers up and down the UK who have become unlikely champions of mental health awareness.

Vincent Quinn

Vincent Quinn, head barber at Hard Grind, said customers have opened up to him about their mental health struggles while in the barber’s chair.

And he says those conversations have helped him with his own mental health.

He said: “Barbering really does make a difference and it’s amazing how many people are more likely to open up to a stranger. We’ve had a lot of guys come in and talk about it.

“I’ve had struggles myself and it’s definitely helped me just having someone open up. I’m not there to give them advice — it’s a two-way thing.

“It’s really just to get them to talk, it’s something so simple that can make a huge difference.”

Hard Grind’s barbers will talk about their own experiences in an online live broadcast on Wednesday.

The link-up came about following a partnership between See Me Scotland and Hard Grind’s clothing line partners Abandoned Ship, to create an online space to discuss mental health.

A number of other groups are involved in the new campaign, including the Lions Barber Collective, formed by a group of barbers to raise awareness of suicide prevention.

Vincent said: “We’re trying to get people to open up and share their experiences.

“We’ll be joining up with some of the top barbers in the industry for a live broadcast to talk about their own issues.

“The statistics for men in particular are just horrific, so we thought by having some of the most esteemed barbers in the country sharing their experiences, we could help end the stigma.”

For more information on the live broadcast and campaign, visit passthebadge.co.uk.

 

 

Link to original Evening Telegraph article here