An Angus salon has given away £1000 worth of free hair appointments to NHS staff as a thank you for their dedication during the pandemic.
Dream Hair, which has shops in Arbroath and Forfar, has booked in eight frontline workers for appointments as part of the campaign, National Hair Sunday.
The bookings will take up 24 hours of what is already a very busy time for the business as people flock back to have their lockdown locks spruced up.
The names of the winners were picked after around 100 frontline workers entered the ballot.
Owner Marie McIntosh Ramminger, who opened the Arbroath salon nine years ago and the Forfar shop just weeks ago, said she was overwhelmed by the reaction after calling the customers.
“It was actually quite emotional letting them know; they were all so pleased and appreciative.
“We’ve had anaesthetic nurses, paramedics, and care home workers all book in. We’ve got gifts for them all too. We thought names out of a hat was the only fair way to do it.”
Thousands of salons across the country have joined the campaign to give free haircuts to NHS heroes.
It was started in April by renowned hairdressers Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko, who star in ITVBe’s the Real Housewives of Cheshire.
Ms McIntosh Ramminger added: “It’s been very busy since we reopened. We have gone from being closed for months to doing 10 to 12-hour shifts.
“The response we have gotten from the community has been incredible. They have shown us so much support.
“All six of our staff are on board with the effort and I really appreciate everything they are doing.
“The idea was the first Sunday after lockdown NHS staff would get an appointment in salons across the UK free of charge.
“It quickly became apparent however that because of the nature of their jobs, they were all unavailable to come into salon on the same day.
“I didn’t want them to miss out so we’re figuring out different times and dates that will suit them.”
It comes after workers at the salon wrote letters and poems to each of the residents at local care home Lunan Court on Albert Street in Arbroath during the pandemic.
The business also gave away a £100 Tesco voucher to one of the residents.
