Liverpool business sets up GoFundMe page to support the city’s hair and beauty industry

A Liverpool company has set up a GoFundMe page to support the city’s hair and beauty industry which, it says, is ‘on its knees’.

PamperBook, which provides businesses with digital booking systems, wants to raise thousands to offer a ‘helping hand’ to local salons and freelancers facing closure as Covid-19 takes its destructive toll.

Jody Riley, founder and CEO of PamperBook in Old Hall Street, says: “Many companies we know have already closed down, and others are struggling to survive.

“We had lockdown when salons were shut and people couldn’t work, and now people are struggling to keep their businesses going with fewer clients.

“These are people who have spent years and worked hard to establish a business, and could see it all collapse; and these are people like you and I, with families to support. It’s heartbreaking.”

Jody Riley, founder and CEO of PamperBook

PamperBook has launched the Pamper Our Community campaign to provide a lifeline for the city’s hair and beauty, and wellness, community.

“We have noticed a massive struggle,” adds Jody. “We are already giving people free subscription of our services for those who are struggling to keep up with payments, but it’s not about us, we just have a heart and we want to step in and help as much as we can in keeping these businesses open, especially as we could be nearing another lockdown.”

Jody and her team have set up the donation page and are asking people to give as much or as little as they can to help support their local salons and freelancers, with an initial target of £5,000.

She says: “We have partnered with wholesalers to provide vouchers so salon owners, stylists and make-up artists can buy for stock over the coming months. It’s our way of giving back to the industry and with help, we can ensure our beauty industry survives these uncertain times.”

Jody says the impact of coronavirus on the hair and beauty industry has been devastating.

“Hair and beauty is big business in Liverpool and pours hundreds of thousands of pounds into the city each year, so it’s not just about helping it to survive, but the city to thrive too.

“People are aware of the pubs, and gyms which we learned today can re-open, but not so much the salon owners, the mobile hair stylists, the make-up artists or the personal trainers out there.

“It was hard when they couldn’t work (and we all certainly missed it when we couldn’t get our hair cut for months) but even now they can, times are tough. Older clients are less confident about going into salons, people are unsure about allowing people into their homes to carry out their services – and even pubs closing has a massive impact.

“If people aren’t going out, they’re not going to get their hair done, their make-up done or their nails done, so it has a domino effect.”

PamperBook has enlisted support from influencers like Kate Hayes and Jasmine Green to spread the word, and have asked those in need of help to send videos they can share: “People can say where they are, what they do, and hopefully it will give them publicity and a profile, and clients may wish to support them.”

The support is not just about helping the businesses though, she says, it’s about helping the community.

“These are the people who help us look good and feel better,” stresses Jody. “And that’s not a vanity thing. It has a huge impact on our mental health and well-being.

“So we are just asking for help, for support, for these people, the hair and beauty businesses– and our city.”

Donate to their GoFundMe page here.