Swindon barber offering free haircuts amid cost-of-living crisis will consider MORE help schemes
Sylvester Okoli says he is "proud" to support people in need
Last updated 6th Sep 2022
A Swindon barber who offered free haircuts to help families tackle rising living costs will consider rolling-out more schemes this year.
During the two weeks before schools re-opened, Sylvester Okoli provided free haircuts to more than 20 children whose parents were struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
The 33-year-old, who founded the Route 8 barber brand, has now revealed he will consider offering more schemes to Swindon families, as many are expected to struggle with energy bills this winter.
"There has been quite a lot of interest, quite a lot of messages on Facebook, quite a lot of support from the Swindon community ... all round it's been good.
"We will look at it in a few weeks and see if there is something else we can do, when we see where we will be with the cost-of-living crisis, when it (the weather) gets a bit colder," he told Greatest Hits Radio.
'Makes me proud that I can give back to the community'
Sylvester's free haircut initiative gained national attention, leading to an appearance on breakfast television!
However, the barber's community work actually started several years ago. Previous schemes include providing specific jobs for young Swindonians, to steer them away from crime, as well as rolling-out free haircuts and other services to homeless people.
Sylvester moved to England from Nigeria when he was 16, following the death of both his parents. He was subsequently under the care of social services until the age of 18.
The barber says the struggles he faced during his "very tough" childhood now motivate him to support those in need.
"Some people get to a better stage in life and they forget about how they started. For me, it's important to always remember how I started.
"It makes me feel proud that I can give back to the community ... looking at where I've come from and where I am today. I feel proud that I can at least use my talents to try and help others too.
"I've sometimes gone off the right path, but for me it was always important that I came back to it and focussed and stayed focussed. You can't change the past, but you can definitely change the future," he added.