Hair and beauty professionals across the Maldon district are to be given free mental health training to help clients open up.

Barbers, hairdressers and beauticians often offer a friendly ear and safe space to their customers, who can confide in them and talk about their feelings.

This has led Maldon District Council to arrange for the Lions Barber Collective to deliver their BarberTalk and Hair and BeautyTalk course over Zoom on Monday, 31 January 2022.

The charity trains barbers to create a safe space for men to open up to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

Councillor Richard Siddall, leader designate of the district council, said: "We are proud to be the first council in Essex to work with the Lions Barber Collective as part of our ongoing approach to support the mental health of residents.

"Barbers, hairdressers and beauty professionals build relationships with their customers, which in turn often allows the customer to open up about feelings which they might not want to discuss with family, friends or colleagues.

"The BarberTalk and Hair & BeautyTalk course will help professionals support their clients and their communities."

The course is open to all barbers, hairdressers and beauticians based in the Maldon district, which covers Burnham-on-Crouch and the Dengie.

Tom Chapman, founder and CEO of the Lions Barber Collective, said: "Mental health affects us all and the pandemic has made that worse in many cases.

"72 per cent of those who die by suicide have had no contact with mental health services in the 12 months before they die, yet they have probably had a haircut or beauty treatment.

"This is why I am so happy to be working with the team at Maldon District Council to help train hair and beauty professionals to have safe communications around mental health and potentially save lives by reaching the unreachable."

Booking for the free course - which normally costs £152 - is available through the Eventbrite link here.