Always on
This project successfully funded on 17th April 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Start up: Millow Haus Academy & Co
Pudsey, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Aim
We’re looking to raise between £30k-£50k to contribute towards set up costs of a brand new education hub for hairdressers.
At 16 I was kicked out of home, with little to no family contacts; a week before Christmas too. I had no money, still in school and quite literally had nothing bar the clothes on my back.
I ended up moving in with a boyfriend’s mum, thankfully she was kind enough to take me in. Within a few weeks I started a little Saturday job in a salon to bring in enough money to get to school and back. That was in 2016.
Now in 2026 I own a little salon in Pudsey with the most amazing team. It’s named after my two daughters Milly and Willow, Millow Haus. I’ve always said that I’ll show them, no matter the cards you’re dealt - what’s important is how you play them.
Many people will know hairdressing apprenticeships have taken an unfortunate nosedive, due to poor standard of education and high costs for businesses to employ. Apprenticeships are how our industry thrives, it’s the whole basis of how we learn and move up the ranks and have done for generations. Without apprenticeships we stand to dilute pathways into the industry and allow the standard of training to drop.
We need to do something and fast.
We’re now presented with a fantastic opportunity to create a one of a kind education hub for hairdressers to train, grow and thrive in this amazing industry. Without this industry I would not be where I am today, it kept me on the right path and genuinely saved my life.
We plan to run a hybrid mix of academy and salon suites, as not only a wise financial decision guaranteeing income through suite rents, but allowing prospective students to see what’s on the other side of their NVQ.
Alongside the training we aim to provide, we are planning to set up in ‘haus’ funding and grant opportunities to close the barriers preventing young people and career switchers from joining this fantastic industry. I myself struggled, the kits you’re expected to buy can surpass £300 easily and this is a detrimental burden and for many the reason they don’t start; The main part of this programme will be funded through social media income and a percentage of rentals of our hosting room.
The space itself allows for a hosting/demo room for industry leaders to host education sessions, a theory room and a practical salon for trainees, plus space for 6-8 salon suites, basin areas and a sizeable kitchen/breakroom area. The jackpot of premises. This academy is set to offer many routes of employment for the area as well as incredible opportunities for the upcoming generations of hairdressers.
This project should introduce 5+ roles of employment for the local area, with this number increasing over years to come.
We’re looking for £30k-£50k to bridge the gap between capital we have at hand and the budget needed to complete this large scale project. The money raised will cover new flooring, building works and some of the boring legal side.
We really appreciate any level of support offered, from a pledge to a share it’s all counted.
I may only be a 25 year old mum, but I hope this myself and this project can bring endless benefits for the industry and local communities. Hairdressing changed my life- drastically. I know it can for others too.
Even if we don’t manage to raise the funds in time, Millow Haus Academy is coming…. Maybe just when the right premises comes along.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made