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Teen barber giving back with free haircuts

Lara KingEast Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
News imageLara King/BBC A teenager cutting a man's hair. The barber is wearing a black T-shirt and has short brown hair. The man who is having his hair cut has a white hairdressers' robe on, dark hair and a dark goatee beard. They are in front of a staircase, a green plant and a tea-making station.Lara King/BBC
Connor Lancaster, 16, is training to be a barber

A young barber is combining a new career with fundraising and free haircuts for people in need in Cleethorpes.

Connor Lancaster went into the profession after teaching himself with a pair of clippers.

The 16-year-old is now training at a barber shop in the North East Lincolnshire town.

He has started his own venture called Connor's Cuts, saying everyone deserves a good haircut no matter their situation.

The teenager, who works at KL Studio, has also raised £300 for St Andrew's Hospice, Grimsby, through a raffle.

He is being mentored by McKenzie Lewis, who owns the studio.

"Connor has picked it up really quickly," he said.

"There are not many 16-year-olds who'd go out of their way and want to help people – especially charities, as well. He's got a passion for barbering."

News imageLara King/BBC Two men standing in a barber shop. One of them is wearing a black T-shirt and black shorts and has short brown hair while the other is wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts with a white stripe on them. They are standing near black swivel hairdressing chairs, one of which is covered with a white hairdressing gown. There is a wall of mirrors on the right-hand side which has various hairdressing items in front of it, including scissors, clippers and products. The wall is grey with a "KL Studio" sign on it, and the floor is wooden.Lara King/BBC
Connor is being mentored by McKenzie Lewis

Connor told BBC Radio Humberside: "I've been here for a month and a half and I'm picking up things really fast."

He said he wanted to give back to the community.

"If people just want to come in for a chat and sit down and speak about anything they want, they don't have to have a haircut.

"If I needed that support I'd want somebody to do the same thing for me, so the people that don't have anybody to speak to can just come in to the shop and chat."

St Andrew's Hospice in Grimsby holds personal significance for Connor. It provided support after he was injured in a scooter crash and helped with respite care for his younger sister.

"I've raised £300 for the hospice and I'm also raising money for The Trin Centre in Cleethorpes, and I'm hoping to be going to a different country to cut poor kids' hair there," he said.

His mum, Sarah Brakewell, said she and his father were very proud of Connor.

"He struggled in school academically, but he's doing it for himself and has done everything off his own bat.

"There aren't many kids at the age of 16 who want to give back to the community."

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