This man is giving free haircuts to the homeless

'It's about direct impact'

Olivia Petter
Thursday 21 September 2017 13:31 BST
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(Instagram/JoshuaCoombes)

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A British hairdresser is giving haircuts to homeless people as part of a wider campaign, #DoSomethingForNothing, which he founded in 2015.

Since launching the charitable initiative, Josh Coombes’s concept has gained huge traction, which he explained “is all about connecting people” on The Today Show Australia.

He has also collaborated with veterinarian Jade Statt, who runs a service named Street Vet that send vets to the streets to provide aid to homeless people’s dogs.

“I didn’t want it to just be about me and cutting hair. So, I came up with the hashtag and I always wanted other people to get involved,” he told Barcroft TV.

Coombes explained that his initiative is about making an impact yourself and inspiring others to do the same.

Both he and Statt revealed that their admirable work has led them to meet a whole range of interesting people and that their days can be extremely unpredictable in terms of who they come across.

The duo said that their experiences have made them realise how lucky they are to have a safe and clean place to live.

Coombes wants to address the taboo surrounding homeless people and is encouraging people to engage with them and show small acts of kindness, even if it’s just saying hello rather than ignoring and isolating them further from society, which will only exacerbate their suffering.

When attending to street dogs, Statt explained that she would typically cut their nails, clean their ears and give them worming.

She also carries antibiotics and painkillers on her just in case.

To get involved in Coombe's campaign, check out his website.

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