Former addict gets doctorate for homeless haircuts

A former addict turned hairdresser is celebrating after receiving an honorary doctorate for his work supporting the homeless community with free haircuts.

Eddie Ilic, 32, struggled with addiction from the age of 12 and, after working to get sober 11 years ago, started Eddie's Street Cuts, a charity that works with other homeless non-profit organisations across Bristol and Bath.

He said his award for social inclusion, given to him by Bath Spa University, "belongs to every volunteer who has stood beside me in the rain, in hostels, on the streets, giving their time to help someone feel seen".

The university said it decided to honour him for being a role model for other students.

Ilic said he is still in recovery from drugs and alcohol, and his addiction led him down a chaotic path where he would frequently get in trouble with police.

At age 20, he was encouraged to join a 12-step programme - a plan first discovered by Alcoholics Anonymous to help people overcome alcoholism and addictions.

"Addiction is quite self-centred. We take [and] manipulate," Ilic said.

He added that his recovery journey inspired him to help other people.

Bath Spa University (BSU) said, Ilic's story is "one of resilience and transformation".

"Eddie is an example to our students that making a difference doesn't always begin with grand gestures, but with empathy action and showing up for each other," a spokesperson for the university added.

Ilic said: "It started with doing a soup run in Bath and I noticed there was a lot of homeless people [with] unkept, long hair who hadn't had it cut for over a year."

After seeing their struggles he suggested to his boss that start offering free haircuts at a nearby homeless hostel in the city.

Ilic started cutting homeless people's hair once every three weeks. But over time his voluntary contributions started to get recognised by other non-profit organisations and hairdressers.

"When they sit in the chair and we give them a haircut, it doesn't just make them look presentable, smart, it also makes them feel something special within," Ilic said.

He added that it's amazing to give them back "their dignity and their self worth", and the sessions allow him to share his story to help others.

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