Mount barber Sam Dowdell is taking his barbershop to the road, planning to visit every town in New Zealand trading haircuts for services to raise awareness of male suicide and men's mental health.
The 26-year old, who in the past few years has lost four friends and "several clients" to suicide, is passionate about spreading the message to men and boys that talking and "sharing the load" is key to suicide preventation.
"The barber's chair is one of the only places where men feel they can talk about anything, and confide things that they wouldn't tell others. It is kind of a sacred place like that. So I thought what better way to spread the message that we men need to start talking about depression and suicide than to take the chair on the road."
Departing from the Mount in February, and calling himself "the Barter Barber", Dowdell plans to visit every town in New Zealand with a population of more than 2000. He expects the itinerary will take two years to complete. He is being accompanied on his journey by his rescue pup, poodle-cross, Bo.
He is currently making a 1981 Bedford ambulance roadworthy which will pull the Barber Shop which will be kitted out with traditional fittings including a swing stool and oak mirror and of course, a barber's pole.