A former Erdington Academy pupil-turned-barber is offering free haircuts to low-income students in the area, aiming to ease the cost of living pressures on families. Razwan Amin, 27, founded Razortrim Studio after leaving Erdington Academy and says the program could also inspire the next generation of local entrepreneurs. The school serves an area with higher-than-average deprivation, where more than half of the students are eligible for free school meals.
“A simple haircut really does help a child’s mental health, looking fresh for school can raise confidence and eagerness to learn. It’s just a small change, but it goes a long way,” Amin said.
Amin, who left Erdington Academy in 2015, has partnered with the school’s parent teacher association to refer students for the free service. “At first, we thought about offering a free haircut for prom as a raffle prize, but I wanted to do more and extend it, so that every child from a low-income background could have a haircut. I said, bring them all in,” he added. Amin recalled his own family’s experience with poverty and free school meals, saying he wanted to prevent cost of living from blocking access to a barber shop.
Amin noted that families feel the cost of living more during school holidays when there are no free school meals or activities to participate in, and he hopes his offer provides additional support.
Nicki Kansara, chair of Erdington Academy’s PTFA and a governor at the school, said: “In my roles at Erdington Academy, I’ve seen many of the different struggles the children face first-hand. The cost of living has been affecting so many people, not just pupil premium students. That’s why this link with Razwan is so powerful. There’s potential for Razwan to inspire the children as an Erdington alumnus – he shows them that they can go from the school and make it in the real world.” Kansara’s son Esa, a student at Erdington, has already taken advantage of the offer and said lots of pupils will do the same. “When I get my hair cut, I feel like a new man, and it makes me feel more confident in general,” Esa said.
Amin’s initiative underscores a personal journey from local pupil to entrepreneur, aligning community welfare with youth aspiration in the area.
