Now that’s a royal tattoo! Tattooist who turned his life around thanks to the Prince’s Trust gets Charles interested in his handiwork at charity gala
- Scott Heffernan, 32, launched his own tattoo business after help from the Prince
- After struggling with mental health problems he got support from the Prince’s Trust Youth Can Do It scheme which was celebrated today in London
- Scott, from Burnley, laughed and joked with Charles pointing out some tattoos
A tattooist who turned his life around thanks to the Prince’s Trust struck up an unlikely conversation with the Prince of Wales today at a charity gala.
Budding artist Scott Heffernan became mute when he left school, beset by mental health problems he felt he could not talk to anyone and refused to leave the house.
But today the 32-year-old, proud owner of his own tattoo parlour in Burnley, met the heir to the throne, whose charity supported his business.
He even pointed out some of the artwork on his heavily-inked left forearm to the Prince, as they chatted at a London function for the Trust’s ‘Youth Can Do It’ scheme.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets tattoo artist Scott Heffernan as he attends ‘Youth Can Do It’ Prince’s Trust Reception at the Phillips Gallery in London
Scott pointed out some of the art on his heavily-inked left forearm to the Prince of Wales
Scott, who featured in a Prince’s Trust film promoting the organisation’s Enterprise programme, told the Lancashire Telegraph last year: ‘My mental health was so bad, I was literally mute. I couldn’t talk to anyone and refused to leave the house.’
After cuts put paid to the mental health support he had been receiving, Scott was given a life-changing recommendation by a specialist charity he contacted.
He added: ‘They said I should consider the Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme for support starting my own tattoo business. People were always complimentary about my drawings and I’d done a bit of tattooing at a friend’s salon before.
‘But setting up my own business was a whole new ball game. And that’s where The Prince’s Trust were so good.’
Scott has now been running his own business – Timeless Tattoos – for three years.
He said: ‘They gave me all the basics to get started, kept in touch after the programme and gave me a long-term business mentor for extra support.
‘There were teething problems, but I stuck at it. Having The Prince’s Trust believe that I could make it as a tattoo artist was a turning point for me.
‘I’ve now got a healthy business and client base, I’m expanding into permanent make-up tattoos, and I’ve even started mentoring a young tattooist.
‘I still suffer with mental health issues but the difference is that I can manage them now, and I feel infinitely better about my future and providing for my family.’
Princes Charles paused to speak to Scott for some time at the charity gala in London
Today Scott shared a joke with the Prince, some of whose ancestors got tattoos of the Cross after pilgrimages to Jerusalem
The Prince’s Trust ‘Youth Can Do It’ programme focuses on giving young people – from the teens to their early 30s – the connections and skills they need to succeed
For those aged 16-25 it offers a 12-week course designed to help make friends, gain skills and experience and take on a ‘once-in-a-lifetime community project’ to transform their neighbourhood with like-minded people.
It offers job opportunities to those aged 16 to 30, to work with employers such as M&S, HSBC and the NHS, as well as courses on improving a CV and interview techniques.
And business start=up advice is available through the scheme for those aged 18 t 30, to teach what a prospective entrepreneur needs to know to make their business a success, and the scheme also provides a mentor to help create a business plan.