HAIRCUTS4HOMELESS: A PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT

HEAR ME SEE ME

 

Since 2019, beauty photographer Jack Eames has been working with UK charity Haircuts4Homeless, travelling the country to document the incredible work they do providing haircuts for homeless people. In 2021, in collaboration with veteran hairdresser and H4H founder Stewart Roberts and Leigh Keates, they released a photo book with beautiful portraits of the Haircuts4Homeless guests. The aim of the project is to humanise the face of homelessness and provide free haircuts for homeless people.

 
 

 HUMANISING THE FACE OF HOMELESSNESS

 
 

Haircuts4
Homeless

After two years of working on it, we are thrilled to announce that the book, Hear Me See Me, is available to buy! All proceeds from sales of the book will go back into funding Haircuts4Homeless to help them continue their amazing work.

Thanks to the generosity of countless donors and sponsors, and online support from wonderful people including Game of Thrones actor Lena Headey and celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight, both of whom have generously written a foreward for the book, we have raised an incredible £36,993.

This book is dedicated to all our wonderful Haircuts4Homeless guests.

 

February 2024

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Haircuts4Homeless - such an incredible landmark for a charity that is truly changing people’s lives for the better!

To mark this milestone with the charity we’ve been joining Stewart at his sessions and capturing stills and video of the guests, and talking to them about how they feel about the work that Haircuts4Homeless does.

Our aim for creating this content is to help bring in new sponsorship for the charity so that they can continue doing their amazing work. If this is something you think you could help with, please get in touch with Haircuts4Homeless here.

- Jack Eames

 

Jack Eames hair and beauty photographer Haircuts4Homeless Barber Academy launch with Stewart Roberts and Lou Christou
 

June 2023

Such a great moment being back with Haircuts4Homeless to capture the launch of the new Barber Academy with Lou Christou. 

This is a really fantastic initiative with five students signed up for the pilot course - I am so excited to see how they progress!

Thank you to Stewart Roberts for having me along on this special day. 

- Jack Eames

 

 

January 2023

As we move into the new year I wanted to look back on some of the Haircuts4Homeless sessions that I was lucky enough to attend in 2022. This particular session from last year was one of my favourites.

When repeat guests come back time and time again it’s a real testament to the amazing work that Haircuts4Homeless do.

Unfortunately on her most recent visit this lovely guest arrived in a mobility scooter after being run over by a car twice. Despite this she was still smiling and chatty as ever!

Thank you again Stewart Roberts and Haircuts4Homeless for an amazing year working together. Here’s to another year collaborating on this wonderful project.

- Jack Eames

Jack Eames Beauty Photographer Haircuts4Homeless
 

September 2022

I am so excited to announce that the Hear Me See Me exhibition for Haircuts4Homeless has launched at Angel Central in Islington. The exhibition will feature my photographs from the book and will run every weekend until the 18th September.

The event has received some great write ups so far, including features from Dazed Digital and The Evening Standard.

There is now only one weekend left so don’t miss your chance to catch the exhibition and support the project.

- Jack Eames

 

 

July 2022

A couple of weeks ago I was able to rejoin Haircuts4Homeless founder Stewart Roberts at a session in London, after what has felt like an eternity - even though it has only been a few months. It’s always great to see brother and sister Stewart and Belinda doing what they do best.⁠
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This photo on the right from the day really sums up what Haircuts4Homeless is about - love, compassion, joy and making change. It particularly reminds me of one of my first sessions with them almost three years ago.
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I love being involved in this project with Stewart, Belinda and the volunteers and seeing all the care they give to the guests. It is always beautiful to see the relationships being built along the way.

- Jack Eames

Makes you feel so much better when you have your hair cut, don’t it?

 

ForewOrd

 “Getting a haircut and having that careful attention to our appearance is one of the joys of life. We all know that it’s not just a haircut, it’s never just a haircut! That’s why I love what Haircuts4Homeless does. What these guys do gives respect and dignity to people who have been denied those qualities. A few years ago I produced a very different book to this one. It was a real fashion hair book, but I included a whole chapter about the transformative power of hair cutting and styling. It simply has a hugely positive effect at a psychological and emotional level.

“The work of Haircuts4Homeless also makes a difference at a social level. It brings people together and it recognises a common bond: we all want to look good and to feel valued. The experience of cutting hair, and of having one’s hair cut, involves a sharing of personal space. That sharing entails respect and care on both sides. It’s all about those micro-feelings that we seldom acknowledge. It’s certainly true to say that there are many more homeless people on the streets now than there were ten years ago.

“The caring and nurturing impact of Haircuts4Homeless reminds me of the times when I was fortunate enough to accompany Princess Diana on trips to Pakistan and the Afghan border. The stories behind tragic situations may be different, but the importance of caring attention and support for people in urgent need is universal. The proof is in the positive response that can be seen in the images in this book. As I said at the beginning: it’s never just a haircut! ”

– Sam McKnight

Jack Eames Hear Me See Me Book 4
 
Population Haircut for homeless
 
Haircuts4Homeless Making Changes
Jack_Eames_Haircuts_For_Homeless_Hear_Me_See_Me-12.
 

I’ve never had a double bed before, I like that I’m short and I can stretch out without touching the edge. I’d like to enjoy that for as long as I can.

 
Homeless with Child

“ Like many commercial photographers I found that I wasn’t dedicating enough time to personal work. Having studied photojournalism at Southampton university, this search for personal stories that represent those who have been othered is always something that I have aimed to capture in my photography and represent in a positive, humane and honest way.

“ Haircuts4Homeless has given me an invaluable experience to channel these aims and build on my origins in social commentary, beauty and proximity in photography whilst giving back. Throughout my work as a photographer in the beauty industry I have always searched for ways to give back, in particular to those experiencing challenges with mental health.

“ Homelessness is a terrible indictment of how the system has let many people down, and crucially it doesn’t have any boundaries for who it can affect. One common impact of homelessness is how it can cause and exacerbate mental health issues, therefore the opportunity to collaborate with the meaningful work being done by Haircuts4Homless to support those experiencing homelessness and mental health issues was one I have been honoured to become involved in .”

– Jack Eames

Haircuts4Homeless Before Haircut
Haircuts4Homeless After Haircut
Haircuts For Homeless Woman Smiling
Haircut4Homeless Coverage map
Haircuts For Homeless Before Change
Haircuts For Homeless After Change

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.