A bighearted trainee barber gave free haircuts for a month to help Glasgow's most struggling families 'look good and feel good'.
Aston Halstead chopped, shaved and trimmed around three barnets a day throughout June for nothing. The 17-year-old is based at The Fading Ape in Tollcross.
What started as the odd freebie to get practice in became a bit of a charity mission for the teenager who reaped the rewards of offering haircuts to those forced to go without.
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Aston, from Mount Vernon, told Glasgow Live: "Most girls can get their nails or make-up done to feel good, guys only really have a haircut. With the cost of living just now, lots of people can't afford it.
"I was doing free haircuts as practice but then I wanted to help and do more. I posted on a local Facebook page and ended up doing around three a day for the month of June.
"Mums would message me as their boys hadn't had their hair cut in months and were so grateful. One guy tried to cut his own hair before coming to me and it was a mess, he loved looking fresh again.
"They felt good and it made me feel good as well, knowing I was helping when money is tight."
In a bid to avoid 'being forced to go work on a building site' Aston got into barbering full-time after sweeping the floors at a salon in Dennistoun before completing college and securing a traineeship at The Fading Ape.
"I love how with barbering, you're always talking to people," he added.
"I've become really passionate about it and like how you can help give people a whole new look."
Generosity isn't unique to the east end. Glasgow Live reported earlier this week that Butty Bar in Drumchapel is giving away 30 packed lunch bags per week to kids of nursery and school age living in the area.
The watering hole urges struggling families to get in touch privately to access the parcels, even if they have more than one child. Bar chiefs, who launched the charity mission on Monday, stress that the gesture is aimed purely at local youngsters.
Butty Bar sits in Helca Avenue. For more information call 0141 944 5271.
The Fading Ape is at 941 Tollcross Road. To book or for more information call 0141 778 7999 or visit their website. You can follow Aston on Instagram.
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