Coronavirus: Salon supports community with wellness initiatives
By Kat Hill | 18 March 2020 | Feature, Tech Talk
Jessica Wallbridge
Hear from the team at Honestly Ombré – a Swindon salon championing kindness with wellness initiatives in its community during the COVID-19 outbreak…
“We care about the wellness and wellbeing of our community and want to help and support wherever we can,” states owner, Jessica Wallbridge. “We have developed three initiatives to try and bring some positivity during this uncertain time.”
1. Schedule Call Program
“For those people who have decided to self-isolate, it’s an understandably worrying and potentially lonely time,” Jessica sates. “With this in mind, we created a Schedule Call Program for those people who would like a check-in and some nice friendly conversation.
“Many young professionals live on their own and are now working by themselves. We also have older clients who don’t have much family around them. We set up the scheme to really come together as a community.”
2.Wellness Box Swap
“We are running a care package box swap to partner individuals to create a box of loveliness for the recipient to lift their spirits during this time,” Jessica explains. “By creating a box for a stranger, we hope people will feel connected to their fellow humans, and focus on the good in the world.
“We’re keeping the budget very affordable at £10-£15. We are recommending people include things such as a favourite family recipe, a favourite song, a recommended TV series, bath salts, face masks, chocolate, a podcast recommendation to or even an indoor activity. There are so many things that are inexpensive and will bring a smile to someone’s face.”
3.Pay it forward scheme
3.Pay it forward scheme“We have been running a Pay it Forward scheme for about a year,” Jessica says. “We’ve decided to go public at this time to give back to the NHS workers, carers and emergency staff workers who are on the front line helping people in need, and are doing a wonderful thing for society and our community.
“It is an opportunity for strangers to donate and buy a treatment in order to say a thank you, and for those workers to be able to indulge in some self-care after we are through the worst of the current situation.
“Honestly Ombré is donating the 10th treatment of every ninth purchased. Random acts of kindness are an amazing way to give back and show gratitude.”
Helping out
“We are in the wellness business; wellness and care for others is in our blood, and at a time like this wellness and wellbeing is more important that ever,” smiles Jessica. “Honestly Ombré was created to show a kinder side to the beauty industry, and we want to do what we can to help from afar.
“We are a tiny business and this is a very scary time for a lot of other independent businesses. For the majority of salons, cashflow is the biggest issue we’re facing at the moment with cancellations and clients getting sick.
“The landscape might be very different in a few days, weeks or months, but our focus is always on the positive, to uplift us, remind us of our humility and to celebrate how incredible and resilient humans are.
“We hope what we’re doing will help people feel a little more connected to others during this time, and remind them of the good in the world. In the end, only kindness matters.”
“We also hope it will remind the community of the value that small businesses add to they towns, and that more so now than ever we need their support to survive,” Jessica concludes.
