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A London barber is giving haircuts to homeless people and is encouraging others to be just as generous.

Josh Coombes, 29, who lives and works in Clapham, started his Haircuts For The Homeless project last year and said that a decent haircut could make a major difference to people’s lives.

“My personal hope is that a haircut boosts the person’s self-confidence and hopefully gives them that something to get them off the streets,” he said.

“Without any facilities, anyone would look like s**t after six months on the streets. But if you look better, you feel better and maybe they’ll be given the boost they need.

“But it is also just nice to do something that makes someone feel good about themselves.”

He now gives haircuts to up to 10 homeless people a week after approaching a man in his home town of Exeter and offering him a trim.

He said he received an “incredible” response and added: “The guy was touched. Any makeover makes you feel better about yourself and it was no different. I just wanted to reach out and use my skill to help this person.”

Mr Coombes’s project led him to establish the wider social media initiative DoSomethingForNothing, which calls on people around the world to take time to reach out to those in need.

The project is backed by street photographer Matt Spracklen and Dave Burt, CEO of digital agency Be Social Global and founder of the @London Instagram channel, which has 1.9 million followers.

Mr Coombes said: “It is so easy, especially in London, to get too busy to actually speak to people and help them out. We’re not raising awareness, we’re raising compassion.

"We’re mobilising people globally to love in their communities. Do Something For Nothing is getting people around the world to stop and help those in need.”

To find out more, follow @DoSomethingForNothing or @joshuacoombes on Instagram