Tottenham riots: Barber victim, 90, donates £10,000 to youth charities

From left, Maleka Carter, Aaron Biber, Dandelion Project's Fiona Namale and Kay Horne. Picture: Kaytea Budd-Brophy

by Flora Drury Wednesday, August 8, 2012
5:17 PM

The Tottenham barber who became one of the most famous faces of last summer’s riot victims has donated £10,000 to local youth projects.

After Aaron Biber’s little shop, just off Tottenham Green, was wrecked by looters he was inundated with donations to help him get back on his feet.

Spurs defender Peter Crouch visited for a haircut and more than £30,000 was eventually collected for the 90-year-old.

He has decided to share the remains of those donations – about £10,000 – between three youth charities.

His own experience of youth clubs growing up in east London inspired him to help out.

The beneficiaries are People’s World Youth Club, which sees youngsters make Tottenham Carnival costumes, the Highway Dinner Club at Bruce Grove, run for disadvantaged young people, and the Dandelion Young Citizen’s Journalism Project, which teaches writing and photography skills.

Mr Biber’s generosity comes despite business being very slow. “They all come and say hello to me but the place is dead,” he said. “One week I took £14, and the following week I took £40. I only had one customer this morning, he was about 80.”

Despite this, there is no chance of Mr Biber putting his feet up and enjoying his new role as a philanthropist.

“What do I want to retire for? To stop at home on my own?” he asked, incredulous.