For people who live in Angel, Finsbury Park or Wood Green, the sight of Mojo Stewart dancing on the street with a boombox is a familiar one.
He is the man behind Groove, Groom & Grub. It is a service that sees him provide music, food and haircuts to locals in the area.
A lot of the people he caters for are rough sleepers, but he told City News that he is open to helping anyone in need.
“Before I started doing this, I was doing a similar thing for a charity called SEVA Street. I was cutting people’s hair and giving them food from a local soup kitchen.
“But I was also dancing with people, which is not something they were used to. The main reason I left to do my own thing is because I didn’t want to just help homeless people.
“There were a lot of people with addiction issues and mental health problems who gravitated towards me. I wanted to help them too.”
‘I really know these people now’
He was speaking to City News near Finsbury Park tube station, next to an underpass. It’s the same place he cuts hair every time he’s in the area.
“When I first started cutting hair in Finsbury there were two brothers called Raymond and John. They used to sleep right here.
“When I first met them, they were both quite abrasive. But over time we got to know each other. I used to cut their hair most months and sometimes they’d dance with me.
“Sadly, Raymond died last year from alcohol problems. That’s really sad and I still get upset about it sometimes.
“But he was direct proof of why I like doing this. I just love getting to know people and helping them out. I feel as though I really know these people now.”
Throughout the interview, Mojo often cuts himself off to speak to passers-by, many of whom appear to be his regulars. He’s an extremely upbeat and likeable figure, with copious amounts of energy.
This is something that relates very well to his day job as a children’s entertainer.
“Yeah, I do singing, parachute games, all that jazz,” he laughed.
However, his desire to share his joyful personality with people on the streets stems from a slightly more sombre beginning.
“It’s not a good story. I was in a relationship with this girl and she volunteered at a soup kitchen.
“I thought if I came down there to help I might be able to rekindle things. It didn’t really work out, but I loved going down there. So, I just didn’t stop.”
But how did Mojo end up cutting hair?
“Cutting people’s hair is a very intimate relationship. There’s something about the touch. I remember when I was younger and going to get my hair cut. I’d often fall asleep because I’d be so relaxed.
“That’s the sort of thing I want to bring people. To be clear I’m not a barber, but I want to make people feel the same way I did back then.
“I also think a good haircut can be transformative for people’s mental health. I see their moods improve and it’s great.
“And on top of that the whole thing is quite personal for me. The first person I ever gave a shave to was my dad. I grew up in care and didn’t meet him until I was nineteen.
“Then he had an accident and was in hospital. He needed a shave so I did it for him. That made me feel confident in being able to shave anyone.”
City News finally asked Mojo what advice he’d give to himself if he were thirty years younger.
He said, “Don’t follow what you think you should be doing. Follow what you feel you should be doing.
“If someone was telling me I should be doing Groove, Groom & Grub I wouldn’t want to be doing it.”
And with that, Mojo told City News that he had to leave.
“I need to get home in time to watch the Simpsons with the kids”
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Headline‘I’ve never thought hard about my life direction’: Mojo Stewart on giving haircuts to the homeless
Short HeadlineMojo Stewart: The man giving haircuts to the homeless
StandfirstWhy a children’s entertainer from North London spends most of his afternoons cutting people’s hair on the street.
For people who live in Angel, Finsbury Park or Wood Green, the sight of Mojo Stewart dancing on the street with a boombox is a familiar one.
He is the man behind Groove, Groom & Grub. It is a service that sees him provide music, food and haircuts to locals in the area.
A lot of the people he caters for are rough sleepers, but he told City News that he is open to helping anyone in need.
“Before I started doing this, I was doing a similar thing for a charity called SEVA Street. I was cutting people’s hair and giving them food from a local soup kitchen.
“But I was also dancing with people, which is not something they were used to. The main reason I left to do my own thing is because I didn’t want to just help homeless people.
“There were a lot of people with addiction issues and mental health problems who gravitated towards me. I wanted to help them too.”
‘I really know these people now’
He was speaking to City News near Finsbury Park tube station, next to an underpass. It’s the same place he cuts hair every time he’s in the area.
“When I first started cutting hair in Finsbury there were two brothers called Raymond and John. They used to sleep right here.
“When I first met them, they were both quite abrasive. But over time we got to know each other. I used to cut their hair most months and sometimes they’d dance with me.
“Sadly, Raymond died last year from alcohol problems. That’s really sad and I still get upset about it sometimes.
“But he was direct proof of why I like doing this. I just love getting to know people and helping them out. I feel as though I really know these people now.”
Throughout the interview, Mojo often cuts himself off to speak to passers-by, many of whom appear to be his regulars. He’s an extremely upbeat and likeable figure, with copious amounts of energy.
This is something that relates very well to his day job as a children’s entertainer.
“Yeah, I do singing, parachute games, all that jazz,” he laughed.
However, his desire to share his joyful personality with people on the streets stems from a slightly more sombre beginning.
“It’s not a good story. I was in a relationship with this girl and she volunteered at a soup kitchen.
“I thought if I came down there to help I might be able to rekindle things. It didn’t really work out, but I loved going down there. So, I just didn’t stop.”
But how did Mojo end up cutting hair?
“Cutting people’s hair is a very intimate relationship. There’s something about the touch. I remember when I was younger and going to get my hair cut. I’d often fall asleep because I’d be so relaxed.
“That’s the sort of thing I want to bring people. To be clear I’m not a barber, but I want to make people feel the same way I did back then.
“I also think a good haircut can be transformative for people’s mental health. I see their moods improve and it’s great.
“And on top of that the whole thing is quite personal for me. The first person I ever gave a shave to was my dad. I grew up in care and didn’t meet him until I was nineteen.
“Then he had an accident and was in hospital. He needed a shave so I did it for him. That made me feel confident in being able to shave anyone.”
City News finally asked Mojo what advice he’d give to himself if he were thirty years younger.
He said, “Don’t follow what you think you should be doing. Follow what you feel you should be doing.
“If someone was telling me I should be doing Groove, Groom & Grub I wouldn’t want to be doing it.”
And with that, Mojo told City News that he had to leave.
“I need to get home in time to watch the Simpsons with the kids”
