Our Next Workshops.
We hold monthly workshop sessions for blind and low vision women and young girls, who are inspired to learn more about their own self care.
If you want to understand better how to take care of your hair and beauty, as well as boost your confidence and meet a group of amazing women, join our next workshops held in East London, at Hackney Depot.
If you have any problems booking your spot, please contact hello@hairandcareproject.com
Who We Are.
We believe that the hair industry urgently needs to become more accessible to all of us. In the experience of the Hair & Care low vision and blind community, almost all of our participants emphasise that they do not feel included by the beauty industry, and more specifically within hair care available to them.
This is where we come in with our mission to learn, listen and apply tangible change across all sectors of hair, establishing the ways in which our work brings a permanent impact.
We are driven to ensure that blind and low vision women and young girls have the space, ability, skills and support to care for themselves, their hair and the hair styling they want, build upon their self-esteem and confidence, and nurture a community that takes care of each other.
Hair&Care recognises that hair care is not just about aesthetics, but also the ultimate means of self-care that makes you understand yourself better, and empowers you towards full self-expression.
Photographer: Felicity Ingram
Our Missions.
​
We aim to lead by our three founding missions within Hair & Care.
​
Teach and empower blind and low vision women and young girls how to understand and care for their hair, expanding upon their self-confidence and identity.
Create a lasting impact within the fashion and beauty industry, improving accessibility for the VI community, linking and educating fashion creatives on how to expand upon their practice in an accessible and inclusive way.
​
Upskill hair professionals and hairstylists through education, understanding how to provide an inclusive experience.
Our Journey.
​
In 2019, award-winning hairstylist Anna Cofone presented the idea of Hair & Care to the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC), and decided it was a perfect fit for their 'Sisterhood' community - an initiative led by Jessikah Inaba to give blind and low vision teenage girls a safe place to socialise and discuss sensitive issues during a time of lockdown.
The Hair & Care workshops were run as a complement to the services offered by the RSBC during the pandemic, and for 18 months we ran monthly zoom sessions to discuss the community’s hair needs and concerns. ​ In 2021, the workshops were able to become face-to-face, taking place at Anna's studio in Hackney and connecting a community through physical presence and interaction.
Ever since then, we have aimed at organising and facilitating different events and socials to connect fashion and beauty together with the VI community, and facilitate an open discussion about making accessibility and inclusion a priority.
Through regular monthly workshops, blind and low vision people have come together to develop their self-care skills, and connect with like-minded people.​ In 2023, Hair & Care was officially registered as a CIC and became a British Beauty Council Affiliate.
​
.jpg)
The NHS estimates that over 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) reports that around 60% of blind and low vision people are women.​
​
​
How We Support You.
We connect blind and low vision women and young girls together along with some of the UK's top hairstylists, creating a supportive environment to develop their skills, understanding their hair care concerns and teach them new skills through frequent workshops which teach practical skills, as well as webinars, groups courses, and self-care events.
Since our inception in 2019, we have supported over 400 women and girls, bringing together a diverse group aged from 12 to 70 years old. We've been awarded 4 different grants, including the National Lottery Awards For All, and raised over £10,000 through fundraising events.
​
Our work with special education schools has also helped teach visually impaired students about the importance of hair from a young age, helping them understand their own beauty better.
400
Since 2019, we've supported more than
400 blind and low vision women and young girls.
70
In 5 years, we've hosted and participated in over 70 activities to support the blind and low vision community.
50
We have upskilled and educated a network of over 50 hairstylists, committed to making hair care more accessible.
Why We Are Needed.
A survey commissioned by eye research charity Fight for Sight found that 4 in 10 Brits have or know someone with significantly impaired vision, and 1/3 of them have experienced mental health issues.
​
Young people with low vision may experience emotional difficulties due to their condition. Coping with low vision can be challenging for many children and young people, without the needed support by family, peers and the local community.
Self-care and community building can have a tremendous positive impact on the VI community, and expand upon a deeper understanding of their identity.
Only 10% of beauty and hair care companies cater to low vision people.
Nearly 98% of VI and blind women feel their needs neglected by the beauty industry.
Worldwide, nearly 2.2 bln. people experience
blindness or low and impaired vision.
The Hair&Care Community.
What our attendees say about our work...
"Blindness is completely different from other disabilities. The advantage of other disabilities is that they can see and they can learn whatever they want by watching films, looking at hairdressers and methods but for us none of that is possible. The only way is to learn one by one in sessions like these, and Anna has kindly provided us with this time."
Victa Service user
Follow Us.
Instagram.
LinkedIn.
Contact Us.
Email.
5 Sheep Ln, London E8 4QS
CIC Number.
CIC registration No. 14645047
