MY name is Bethan, I’m a senior barber and the manager at Cresswell Barber Co in Shirley, Southampton.

I’m writing to you in the hopes of raising awareness about men’s mental health and the Lions Barber Collective, which is a charity I am working with.

The Lions Barber Collective provide vital training for barbers and other hair and beauty professionals in recognising the signs of when clients may be struggling with their mental health, give them the skills to be able to listen if their clients choose to open up to them and the knowledge of how and where to signpost their clients to the appropriate services.

With barbershops and other hair and beauty services opening again on Monday I wanted to spread the word to as many professionals as possible about the training that is available to them as well as possibly mentioning the text to donate the lions have set up where people can donate £5 towards the training of more hair and beauty professionals.

I think it’s also extremely important to let people know that there are Lions trained barbers in Southampton, including myself and Marie in Cresswell Barber Co that can listen judgment free and help point them in the right direction for support.

No one is alone and everyone has been affected mentally in one way or another over the last year.

Anything you could do to help spread awareness will be greatly appreciated by myself and everyone from The Lions Barber Collective.

Bethan Brennan

Prospect Lions Barber Collective