Barbering Students Bring Community Spirit to the Falcon Centre

Barbering students took their skills out of the classroom and into the community last week, offering free haircuts to residents at the Falcon Centre – a local support hub for people experiencing homelessness.

Students Ollie Baker, Charlie Clarke, and Corben Shaw volunteered their time and talents to provide haircuts for men and women at the centre, creating a rewarding and memorable experience for both the students and those they helped.

“There was a queue of people waiting – men and women – and the students were initially a little apprehensive because it was their first time offering this kind of service outside of college,” explained Barbering Lecturer, Kerie Mooney. “But once we started, we couldn’t get them away! They threw themselves into it and showed real professionalism and empathy.”

Reflecting the community spirit of the event, Corben’s mum kindly donated a dining set and food items to the centre, while Kerie brought along a selection of homemade knitted hats to help keep people warm. 

Speaking afterwards, Corben reflected on how powerful the experience had been. He shared: “We gave back to the community, but just as much as we helped them, they helped us. You don’t realise what someone is going through until you talk to them. It really opened our eyes.”

Ollie agreed, adding: “It was a great experience learning on real people and building confidence in a real-world setting. It made everything we’ve been learning feel more meaningful.”

Reflecting on the success of the day, and the students’ compassion and commitment, Kerie said: “It was such a positive day – we had a great time, and they should all be incredibly proud of themselves.” 

This outreach is part of Loughborough College’s broader commitment to community engagement and is a chance for students to contribute to the College’s wider Good for Me, Good for FE campaign.