Stoke-on-Trent: Homeless people given free haircuts by barbers

Staff at the barbers in Stoke-on-Trent decided they wanted to give back to their community ahead of Christmas

A barbers shop has given free haircuts to homeless people in Stoke-on-Trent ahead of Christmas.

Leroy Chax said he and his staff just wanted to help, give something back to their local community and "give people a boost towards their 2022".

Homeless charity Concrete, which is based in the city, worked with the BBC and the shop to organise the scheme.

Claire, who has been homeless for six months, said getting her hair cut "makes me feel amazing".

Having been kicked out of a previous house, she said she had not been to a hairdressers in nearly a year.

Claire had her hair cut for the first time in nearly a hair and said having it done "makes me feel amazing"

Staff at the barbers "made me feel welcome", Claire added, and she is due to move into her own place in time for Christmas.

"It is going to change my life so much, this will let me look on the bright side now."

With the weather turning colder, Mr Chax said it felt like the right time to help and the reaction had been fantastic.

"It can make such a difference, can give someone confidence. We are just trying to change people's lives as much as we can," he said.

BBC Radio Stoke helped Chax Barbers and Concrete connect as part of their Make a Difference campaign.

The initiative sees every BBC radio station work to help bring communities together to make a difference closer to home.