Hogganfield barber to give free haircuts to Glasgow's homeless

Aiden Bryson and six of his friends will gather under the Hielanman’s Umbrella on Saturday evening at 7pm to help people living on the street.  

Aiden, who runs AB Barbering, has given free haircuts to homeless people before and says alongside being able to have long chats with people and offering advice, “it’s good to make them feel good”. 

The 25-year-old said: “If you’re looking fresh, you’re feeling fresh. 

“I’ve told the boys as well, ‘Don’t think you’re going to go out there and just start shaving heads, they’re just as picky as me and you, they know what they want, they want to look good too’.  

“Just because they’re homeless doesn’t mean you need to give them a bad haircut, you’re giving them what they want.  

“I’ve had homeless guys wanting a side parting and I’m like ‘on you go, let’s do it’.”  

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As well as free haircuts, the team will be dishing out packed lunches including a roll, a bottle of water, a packet of crisps, a chocolate bar and a face wipe.  

They will also be handing out socks, gloves, hats, toothbrushes and will be accepting clothing donations to give out.  

Aiden, from Hogganfield, says after he was caught heading “down a bad path” three years ago he started to volunteer with The Halliday Foundation, and he also completed 250 hours of community service with Glasgow No. 1 Baby & Family Support Service, who he still chooses to volunteer with now every week.     

He said: “This all stems from my past. 

“When I was younger, I was trying to act the lad, just acting like somebody I wasn’t, and life totally humbled me.  

“One of the best things that ever happened to me was getting caught because I was going down a bad path but I’m on a better path now.  

“So that’s how I started helping homeless people and it grew on me.” 

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Aiden, who would like to have a registered charity in the next five years, says he doesn’t want to be seen as a hero and that it’s just “time to give back”.  

He added: “It isn’t anything big, it’s just a couple of boys from the East End kicking about giving out free haircuts and a couple of packed lunches, it’s nothing big.

“I just want to make other people happy, that’s what it’s all about, there’s nothing else to it, I just want to see somebody happy, even if it’s just for a quick minute or two.  

“I want them to realise people do care.”