Fred & Ginger COVID-19 lockdown
Dear loyal customers,
Well what a few hours that has been! Complete lockdown. I for one feel this is right and will help us to get through this to try and beat this virus.
I thought it fit to write to you to tell you exactly the reasoning behind our measures taken on the 21st March 2020. We were committed to serving our community and keeping our smiles big and our heads held high. We were doing a good job too. So many of our lovely customers supported us by coming in and if not were offering support in other means. For this we were and are truly thankful.
We started the week with noticing a high level of cancelations, which worried us as we didn’t know how we would survive… little did we know it would get worse. I decided to take measures to shorten everyones hours and within 2 hours went from that to short term lay off. This left half of our staff still working. We then picked up as everyone started to worry when their last visit would be. We were sterilising everything in sight that we could. If it wasn’t fit to be immersed in barbicide and water then we were spraying it down with disinfectant. This was done between EVERY client. Towels and gowns were washed at 60° as per NHS guidelines and we very nearly ran out a few times. Hands were nearly taken back to the bone where we were washing our hands 1000s of times (I’m not even exaggerating!) Each day we were getting more worried. Until Saturday, I came home and I sat down with my husband and told him how unsafe I felt. I didn’t know who anyone was being in contact with and if they were taking necessary precautions. I didn’t want to bring it home to my family. Whats the point in working if you don’t have loved ones at home waiting for you. My son had given me the biggest cuddle when I came home that night. I could only describe it as he was relieved i was home. I was too. I thought about how many lives could be at risk and the governments rules on social distancing. It’s not a game of Russian roulette were my exact words. It was then i took one of my biggest decisions to forget about the money and take care of not only my family…. my friends and our community. I contacted my clients that were in for the next 3 weeks and said i would be in touch and i popped a note on all social media platforms that we use. The relief was immense. I didn’t feel the weight of everyone on my shoulders. Yes i had no money but that pales in to insignificance. You know you are loved when you get messages of support from people you haven’t spoken to in years and also your dear clients and friends offer support and words of wisdom. You know we are in it together.
So where do we go from here? I have been privileged to be added to a facebook page that sets us challenges that help us to see the bigger picture. The hair and beauty trade have some great ideas and we share them with one another. It’s not as bitchy as people think this industry is. We are helping each other through. This is all thanks to Ryan and Hollie Power. Their knowledge has been inspirational. I don’t know what i would have done without them and my work colleagues.
With this is mind i have set up for the interim…..
Victory vouchers that offers the chance for anyone to buy £20 worth of vouchers and we then add £5 to it. They can be brought by a bank transfer and then we send out the voucher in the post. They can be used between 1/7/20 and 1/12/20. So many have already taken us up on this idea and we appreciate it all.
Tutorials that are free of charge. That will help to control your hair and give you ideas to try at home in yourself or on each other.
One to one video calls that we will help to guide the individual or the family with specific requests at a charge of £20. Again a bank transfer to make payment before scheduling a call.
We will also be talking about products and what is good for each hair type. You can also message us for more direct info about your hair type too. We can then sell and send these out to you if you so wish.
There are other things mulling around in this head of mine that i will of course let you know of as we go along.
We may not be with you in person right now but we can be there virtually, guiding and helping where we can.
When we can get back to it, it will be with a bang!!!! I just want to say that all NHS staff will receive a free haircut on us. Its the least we can do for those of you who were up on the front line. Working long hours and putting yourself last. My god do we owe you so much more. THANK YOU!!! It doesn’t seem a big enough word.
We have also taken this time to do some online learning to help produce even more outstanding work!! Watch this space!!
What do you want to see us do that we don’t already? Are we doing enough? We want your views put across. This will make us a better salon. It will also hive us a better understanding of you as an individual.
I just want you all to know how very lucky i am to not only say i know you all but how great you all are. I mean every one of you. Thank you for your continued support and love.
Yours truly
Becky and the Fred & Ginger team xx
