Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Barter Barber in town to help men talk about mental health

Matthew Martin
By Matthew Martin
Senior reporter, Rotorua Daily Post·Rotorua Daily Post·
8 May, 2017 06:23 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Sam Dowdall is a man on a mission - to help other men open up about the sensitive subject of mental health and suicide.

After having four friends take their own lives in the past three years Mr Dowdall thought he had to do something about the issue of men's mental health and, after lots of planning, came up with the concept of The Barter Barber.

Originally from Tauranga, his plan is to visit every town and city in New Zealand in the next two years and he is filming a documentary as he goes.

At the age of 27 he's been cutting hair for 12 years, owned his own businesses and has taken courses in crisis management through Lifeline.

Mr Dowdall will be based at Ants Haines' barber shop on Hinemoa St - My Barber - on Wednesday and Thursday and is trading haircuts for goods, food and services, or just a story or two.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said he does not want your money, just a donation of goods or services, including dog food for Bo or petrol vouchers for the 1971 Bedford ambulance he uses to tow his mobile barber shop.

"We have a shocking and ever-increasing suicide rate in our men, specifically in rural New Zealand, and something needs to change," he said.

"In my experience barbering overseas, no men I have come across have more trouble expressing themselves than here at home, I find that really troubling," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Life saving counselling for some men is only found in the barber's chair so we're trading our way around the country using the skills I have learnt over the years as a barber to open conversation with New Zealanders from all walks of life.

"We want to hear your stories."

Mr Haines said was supporting Mr Dowdall as it was a good cause.

"We get all sorts of people in the shop who have all sorts of life stories they want to talk about.

"Having him here will be really interesting and I hope he gets his message across."

Te Runanga o Ngati Pikiao Trust co-ordinates suicide prevention programmes in the region. Trustee Michael Naera applauded Mr Dowdall's initiative.

"It's not new that hairdressers are working with people in mental health when getting a haircut done.

"I know it's been done with ladies in the Pasifika community too.

"Some people just want to talk and hairdressers are really good listeners and people feel comfortable talking to them.

"They can help when people are in distress and can pass numbers and information on to the people they talk to.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"What a great initiative, I wish him all the best," Mr Naera said.

Check out "The Barter Barber" on Facebook or make a donation to his Givealittle page at www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/barterbarber.

Where to get help
- In an emergency: Call 111
- Crisis, Assessment and Treatment Team at Lakes DHB: 0800 166 167
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865
- Youthline: 0800 376 633, or text 234 or talk@youthline.co.nz or live chat (7pm to 11pm).
- Kidsline: 0800 543 754
- Whatsup: 0800 942 8787
- Depression helpline: 0800 111 757
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 (weekdays 11am to 5pm)
- NetSafe: 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723)

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

Rotorua Daily Post

Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 

Rotorua Daily Post

'Mum, I’m a strong boy aren’t I?’ Murdered 5-year-old's mother breaks down in court over final phone call with son


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought
Rotorua Daily Post

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

Whakarewarewa beat Greerton Marist 25-17 to reach the Baywide final.

14 Jul 05:17 AM
Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 
Rotorua Daily Post

Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 

14 Jul 04:00 AM
'Mum, I’m a strong boy aren’t I?’ Murdered 5-year-old's mother breaks down in court over final phone call with son
Rotorua Daily Post

'Mum, I’m a strong boy aren’t I?’ Murdered 5-year-old's mother breaks down in court over final phone call with son

14 Jul 02:41 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP