One Toongabbie resident is changing people’s lives one hair at a time, as he provides free haircuts to those sleeping rough.
Owner of Tapered The Barbershop, Baz Tastan first embarked on the journey when he was inspired by Melbourne man Nasir Sobhani who began cutting the hair of the homeless after he turned his own life around, following a serious drug addiction and his own experience of homelessness.
Mr Tastan travels to Martin Place, Sydney where not-for-profit Brothers in Need provide food services to the homeless on Saturday evenings, offering free haircuts to those sleeping rough.
He has since cut the hair of about 100 homeless men, giving each a newfound confidence in themselves. The 29-year-old says the way the men react when they see themselves is indescribable.
“It’s more than just a haircut, it touches them in a way I never really understood until I did it,” he said.
“To hear their stories and to see how grateful they are when it’s finished is just like nothing else.”
Mr Tastan has been a barber for 13 years and opened the shop four years ago.
He says being a barber is his passion and giving people confidence and making them feel good about themselves is the most rewarding part of the job.
Offering this service free of charge to the homeless, he says, is his way of ensuring everyone gets to experience that good feeling of a fresh cut.
“I think we can be a bit naive to how much of a difference this can make in a person’s day,” he said
With a young family at home, Mr Tastan said COVID-19 made it difficult for him to do his regular Saturday night sessions, but wanted to ensure the men had their haircuts for Christmas.
“Apart from my wife and child, I’ve never had someone’s happiness rely on my determination to turn up,” he said.
“I couldn’t help myself, I grabbed a mask and went.”
Any barbers interested in getting involved are encouraged to contact Baz directly on 9837 1399 or visit him in store at shop 15/216 Farnham Road, Quakers Hill. Alternatively, you can send a message to Tapered The Barbershop on either Instagram or Facebook.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.