I have been lecturing since 1994, after completing a Cert Ed. at Bolton Institute of Higher Education. I gained teaching posts at Bolton Community College and Blackburn College. I have designed my own academy, while I managed and owned various salons.

I began hairdressing at the age of 16, the salon was the first “Cut and blow” salon in Bolton. Until then you either went to a barbers, were techniques of clippering or scissors over comb were used, or you went to the hair salons, were what was fast becoming a yesteryear image of, the shampoo and set salons.

 

The salon was called ”Hairforce” and was put together by owner Howard Clift. Howard or “The Boss” as I always knew him, employed two great stylists, Gary Verbicas and Steve Dyer.  Steve and Gary came from the very stylish Village Barbers in Manchester, despite its name it used the latest cut and blow techniques and employed a wealth of talent from Manchester and surrounding area’s.  It had to be one of the best salons as it was owned by George Best, and George’s night club, Slack Alice was above the salon.

 

Vidal Sasson was the flavor of the day and he developed a technique of sectioning the hair and used different sectioning techniques to create different haircuts. These were exciting times, Mary Quant, Ozzy Clark, Biba, Max Factor were just a few of the names being banded about, I was 16, eager to learn and absolutely loving it.

 

Gary, for his birthday took me to Slack Alice’s and there I met some of my all time hero’s, George of course, Rodney Marsh, Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell, and others, I briefly spoke to George and Rodney Marsh, I had, and still have, nothing but praise for them, as they were very courteous, polite people.

 

After two weeks of working in the salon, the boss showed me the cutting techniques they used. He let me cut his hair under the guidance of Gary and Steve. I practiced like mad, cutting friends and families hair, on average I cut two peoples hair a night and up to five over the weekends.  My efforts where rewarded when I was promoted to a stylist, I wasn’t the finished article by far but I had become a stylist.