A Co Down hairdresser has started a business at the age of 72 to train the next generation.
Comber woman Patricia Strong began her career with a Saturday job in a local hairdressing salon when she was just 13, and after leaving school she began a hairdressing apprenticeship.
During this time, she was taught how to make, cut and style wigs.
She opened her first salon in her hometown when she was 18, and will celebrate 60 years in the industry in 2023.
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Patricia specialises in creating wigs and has worked with people who have lost their hair through chemotherapy or alopecia.
As well as this, she has worked in the hair and wigs department on Game of Thrones and many more major productions filming in Northern Ireland.
Her new business, Patricia Strong Creatives, will be based at Ards Business Hub to train new screen industry crew and provide wigs for people affected by hair loss.
Patricia said: "I love working in the film industry and the reason I started my own training academy was because during the third season of Game of Thrones, I realised there weren't that many people in Northern Ireland with the skills and knowledge of wigs that was needed to work on major productions, crew members were having to be brought in from England and Republic of Ireland.
"I began to offer training courses because I thought we had an abundant amount of talent in Northern Ireland that wanted to gain employment within the film industry, they just needed to be upskilled.
“Ards Business Hub is only ten minutes away from my home in Greyabbey and provides a great location and studio space.
"It is very peaceful and quiet and means that my hair loss clients have a very private and serene environment to visit when coping with the distress of hair loss through chemotherapy, alopecia or age related.
"The studio ensures total confidentiality, there is onsite parking and the services offered by Ards Business Hub are exceptional. The feedback from my clients regarding the studio has been very encouraging."
Patricia also worked in theatre and has worked on many productions in the Grand Opera House with companies like The Royal Ballet, Andrew Lloyd-Webber's company, and Covent Garden.
But due to her skills and expertise in wigs, hair, and make-up, Patricia's talents led her into the film industry in the Republic of Ireland, working on productions like Laws of Attraction with Pierce Brosnan and Julieanne Moore and King Arthur with Kiera Knightly & Ray Winstone.
As the film industry began to take off in Northern Ireland, there were very few people in the industry with the skills and knowledge of wigs to work on high profile productions such as Game of Thrones.
For the next five years, Patricia was kept busy working on Game of Thrones as well as Dracula Untold, The Lost City of Z, Mrs Wilson, Krypton, Silverpoint and many more.
Many of the people she trained are now working on film and TV productions in Northern Ireland so she has helped to build up a good pool of local expertise.
Courses can last from one to three days and cover areas such as: up-styling and dressing of long hair,an introduction to wigs & postiche for film and TV, make-up courses and cutting courses.
As well as courses for the industry she will be introducing short evening courses for those coping with hair loss on how to choose the right wig, how to look after your wig, tips and tricks on skin care and make-up. The courses are intended to be enjoyable, informal and participants will be offered light refreshments.
“During their journey if they lose their hair a lot of ladies lose confidence. This course is intended to help build up that confidence and help them feel good about themselves. Look Good Feel Good is my belief, “ she added.
Nichola Lockhart, Chief Executive of Ards Business Hub, said: “It is incredible that Patricia is starting a new business at an age when most people have long since retired. She is a phenomenal business person and a great example of the dedication and energy needed to succeed in the film and TV industry.
"It is so good that she is passing on her knowledge and experience to a new generation, while her work in supplying wigs to people with hair loss is inspirational.”
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