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    SCHOOL READY: Haven’s Menzel Roberts cheers after his free haircut from Haven Hair Spa hairdresser Angela Carr at Uniting Wimmera’s Wellbeing Centre. Picture: DYLAN DE JONG

Fresh cuts a wellbeing boost

A free community haircut session in Horsham has provided families with financial and social support to start the new year. 

Uniting Wimmera CASI community connector Steph Purcell said the organisation was eager to find a way to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The offer was open to anyone in the community who had been affected financially or had their mental health impacted by COVID-19,” she said. 

Mrs Purcell said the free haircut session was created in response to concerns over rising numbers of people seeking wellbeing support during the pandemic. 



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“We’ve definitely seen a rise in the number of people needing support for homelessness and mental health services,” she said. 

“Our services have continued to run during the pandemic, but a lot of our staff have been working from home or doing all of their case work and counselling sessions over the phone.”

Mrs Purcell said remote learning for students and parents working from home during the pandemic also affected families.   

“Juggling normal life plus home schooling and work really put the pressure on families as well as parents,” she said. 

“These sessions aimed to hit a few targets. We’re trying to combat loneliness and social isolation and to get people out of their homes in a COVIDsafe environment, looking after themselves and making them feel special.” 

Mrs Purcell said the free haircut sessions also aimed to support people, such as hairdressers, who had lost work during the pandemic.  

“A lot of people also lost their jobs as restaurants closed and hairdressers and beauticians had to close down, so we’re really happy we could support hairdressers in this aspect,” she said. 

Mrs Purcell said more sessions would be announced depending on demand.

Bookings are essential and people can register by emailing steph.purcell@vt.uniting.org or calling Mrs Purcell on 5362 4000.

– Dylan De Jong 

The entire January 13, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!