Bolton barber providing free haircuts to the homeless has raised £10k in donations for people living on the street
- Barber offering free cuts to those living on the street
- 25 year old Iraqi plans to expand his service to other cities
- More than £10,000 raised so far in donations
- Featured image credit: Ezel Alsaadi
Barber Ezel Alsaadi is on a mission to help homeless people in Manchester by providing free haircuts and raising money for charity.
The 25-year-old Iraqi – an established barber currently living in Bolton – began helping the homeless population of Manchester just under a year ago, sharing their stories and documenting the experience on TikTok to raise awareness of the challenges they face.
With more than 80,000 people supporting his work, his TikTok comment sections are flooded with people sharing stories of when they have seen the people in Ezel’s videos, creating a community around a group in society often misjudged and disregarded.
What is it about a trim?
Ezel was inspired by a video he saw online of someone providing the service, after he himself was trapped outside on a cold night after losing his keys.
“I was outside for three hours and I was going mad, I wanted to go home,” he said.
He thought he could provide this act of kindness for those who suffer the outdoor elements every day and don’t have a place to call home.
Since then, he has worked to provide this contribution to a community of people in Manchester by offering haircuts to people living on the streets.
He said: “It’s a tangible way to show your care and support for others.”
What’s next for Ezel?
In his videos, Ezel can be seen approaching people and offering them a chair, before chatting to them about their lives.
Although he doesn’t know the exact number of people he has helped so far, he recalls one particularly moving story of a man called Conno, who received a haircut from Ezel and managed to get a job a week later.
Ezel plans to travel to places beyond Manchester and Liverpool, setting up shop in places with high rates of homelessness.
“The most valuable lesson I have learned so far is that small acts of kindness, like giving haircuts, can significantly impact someone’s life and help them restore their dignity,” he said. “This emphasises the importance of compassion and support in your work.”
Ezel has raised more than £10,000 in donations after launching a GoFundMe in early November, which provides essential warm clothing and sleeping bags to the people living on the streets.