In the highly anticipated Presidents Night 2024, Ashleigh Hodges has been unveiled as President of the Fellowship.
Taking place on Monday the 24th of June at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, the Presidents Night 2024 closed out an action-packed weekend at HAIRCON.
The evening of British hair iconography acted as an opportunity for the industry to come together to celebrate the tenure of former President, Robert Eaton, alongside the heritage of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing.
Whilst reflecting upon the heritage of the Fellowship, the night also put the industry’s focus onto the future of the hairdressing industry. Ashleigh Hodges was unveiled as the next President – becoming the Fellowship’s youngest ever female President. The new Executive Board who were also unveiled, plan to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, continuing the great work they have initiated, alongside introducing new plans.
Robert Eaton handed over the chain to Ashleigh Hodges, officially beginning her presidency. In her first speech as President, Ashleigh Hodges outlined her goals for her presidency, highlighting that her main three values are “diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability.”
The Executive Board want to encourage the growth of those who are new to the industry and those who have worked in the industry for many years. At this moment in time, the Fellowship has a range of exceptional projects and initiatives. Their goal is to evaluate how they can elevate their current projects, continuing to make them even more special. They want to energise the next generation of hairdressers and barbers, and make them recognise what an inclusive, diverse, and exciting industry they are entering into.
It was also revealed that the Executive Board will be welcoming three new board members – Sally Brooks who is Head of New Talent, Lisa Farrall who will be taking on the role of Head of Creative Direction and Junior Green who is Head of Textured Hair Innovation. The Fellowship also welcomes two new ambassadors – Colin McAndrew who is the Fellowship Ambassador for Scotland and Andrew Barton who takes on the role of Fellowship Ambassador for England.
Presidents Night 2024
The night began with a welcome speech from the outgoing President, Robert Eaton, who thanked attendees for joining him for such a special occasion. Robert reflected on his presidency, highlighting what his role as President has meant to him and what himself and the Executive Board have accomplished over the past 2 years.
What followed was a revolutionary hair tribute by The F.A.M.E Team. Throughout the day, the F.A.M.E Team were busy creating an outstanding show dedicated to the ICONS, celebrating those who have inspired the future generation of British hairdressing. The ICONS included Trevor Sorbie MBE, Errol Douglas MBE, Keith Harris, Andrew Collinge, Mark Hayes, Beverly C MBE, Lisa Shepherd, Zoe Irwin, and Nicky Clarke OBE.
The show, which was proudly supported by TONDEO, gave the F.A.M.E. Team the opportunity to express their creativity, creating nine looks, under the guidance of their mentor, Sally Brooks. Each of the nine looks were inspired by one of the ICON’s favourite looks from their careers.
The show was followed by a delicious two-course dinner. After teas and coffees, and a chance for attendees to mingle, outgoing President, Robert Eaton, was joined on stage by the Fellowship’s Head of Education, Simon Shaw. Simon thanked Robert for his hard work and dedication throughout his presidency, serving as a chance for the audience to reflect on the accomplishments and growth of the Fellowship over the past 24 months.
Under the guidance of CEO, Barry Stephens and President, Rob Eaton, the past two years have seen incredible growth for the Fellowship, celebrating their highest membership to date, opening three Centres of Excellence, and continuing to provide the industry with educational opportunities for their members in the shape of Hair & Vision and the digital knowledge platform.
The night ended with an electric atmosphere, dancing the night away after the handover of the chain from Robert Eaton to new President, Ashleigh Hodges. The Fellowship is experiencing an exciting period of transition – following in the footsteps of the outgoing Executive Board, alongside introducing new initiatives – it’s a great time to become a member of the Fellowship.