Dragon’s Den Prize Helps Launch MainstayDRP’s   

Pay It Forward Fund

Mainstay DRP is proud to announce that Silent Cuts has received a £2,000 Social Enterprise NI Dragons’ Den prize, sponsored by Community Finance Ireland.

This support is helping launch Mainstay DRP’s Pay It Forward Fund, which will subsidise supported appointments at Silent Cuts and help ensure people who need extra time, understanding, and support can still access a haircut.

Because something as simple as a haircut shouldn’t depend on how overwhelming the environment feels.

A Haircut Most People Take for Granted

For most of us, getting a haircut is routine.

We book an appointment, sit down, chat with the stylist and leave feeling refreshed.

But for some people with learning disabilities, autistic and neurodivergent people, or those with sensory sensitivities, a typical salon environment can feel overwhelming.

Bright lights.
Background noise.
Strong smells.
Unfamiliar faces.
The pressure to sit still.

For some people, these barriers mean a haircut can feel impossible.

£25 could help someone access a calm, supported haircut through Mainstay DRP’s Pay It Forward Fund.

A Different Kind of Salon

That’s why Mainstay DRP created Silent Cuts, a calm, sensory-aware hair salon in Downpatrick designed to remove the barriers some people experience in traditional salons.

Appointments are unhurried and flexible, allowing people to move at their own pace in a quieter environment.

Silent Cuts offers several types of supported appointments.

Sensory-Aware Appointments

Haircuts delivered in a calm, low-stimulation environment. Appointments include additional time to allow the experience to happen at a pace that feels comfortable.

One-to-One Appointments

Private appointments where the salon is closed to other clients. This creates a quieter environment and allows up to an hour with the stylist so there is no pressure to rush.

Familiarisation Visits

Sometimes the first step isn’t a haircut.

Familiarisation sessions allow someone to visit the salon, meet the stylist and become comfortable in the space before any haircut takes place.

Because trust doesn’t happen in 30 seconds.

Why the Pay It Forward Fund Matters

Providing this level of support often means more time and flexibility are needed.

Mainstay DRP’s Pay It Forward Fund helps ensure that supported appointments remain accessible for people who may need extra time, patience and understanding.

Community donations help subsidise:

• sensory-aware appointments
• one-to-one sessions
• familiarisation visits

This means access is based on need, not ability to pay.

Paying It Forward

Every donation helps make a supported appointment possible for someone else.

For one person, it may be their first successful visit to a salon.

For another, it may be the first time they feel confident returning.

A quiet haircut can be more than a haircut.

It can be a step towards confidence, independence and belonging.