Fundraising for men’s health: Barber completes 24 hours of haircuts and chats
Charlie Knox was more than “ready to put his feet up” after cutting hair and chatting for 24 hours straight – all in the name of men’s health.
The 24-hour ‘cutathon’ started at 9am on Saturday but the conversations about men’s mental health started the week before.
Knox said men of all ages sat in his chair and shared their experiences and feelings with him, just as he had hoped.
The senior barber had battled with anxiety and depression himself and wanted to use his experience and his craft to encourage them to talk about what they were going through.
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“Raising money is all good and well but what I really wanted was the conversation,” he said.
“I got a lot of that through the week, from elderly men to teenagers all opening up. It was pretty cool.”
Knox worked through the day and night, taking 10-minute breaks where he could.
He had visits from friends and family, but one visit in particular stood out.
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/Stuff
Charlie Knox donated part of his wage and all donations to the Canterbury Men’s Centre, a charity that supports men and their mental health. This photograph was taken while Knox was preparing for his fundraising feat.
A woman he had never met before drove all the way from Sumner, Christchurch, to give him a meal.
“That was a highlight for me. It was cool. She didn’t say, but I think there was meaning behind her coming,” Knox said.
Fatigue started to set in about 1am, but Knox powered through until 9am on Sunday, completing 36 cuts in 24 hours.
“It was the chats that got me through.”
When he reached 24 hours, his feet sore and back aching, Knox put his tools down feeling proud he had accomplished something.
Supplied
Knox was fully-booked through the 24-hour event. This photograph was taken while Knox was preparing for his fundraising feat.
He raised about $4000 for the Canterbury Men’s Centre, including through a Givealittle page that would remain open until Friday. Just as importantly, he had open and honest conversations with everybody who sat in his chair.
Knox said he was “fairly confident” his haircuts also stayed consistently good throughout the marathon effort.
Where to get help
- 1737, Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 to talk to a trained counsellor.
- Mental Health Foundation 09 623 4812, click here to access its free resource and information service.
- thelowdown.co.nz Web chat, email chat or free text 5626
- If it is an emergency, click here to find the number for your local crisis assessment team.
- In a life-threatening situation, call 111.