GNI ISSUE 46 - TOM GRENNAN

GNIMAG y o u r

l o c a l

h o m o c u l t u r a l

m a g a z i n e

Issue 46 Apr / May 21 £3.95 / €3.95

Tom

Grennan Number 1 album ‘Evering Road’, dog walking in the pandemic, eagerly anticipated tour and tonnes more...

Conversion

It’s not really therapy is it? It’s torture wrapped up pretending to be good.

Rag’N’Bone Man A new album and a single with P!nk, surely a tour is on the way too?

Footie

Belfast Blaze, inclusive local football team on the hunt for new recruits

CELEBS / FASHION / MUSIC / NEWS / REVIEWS / MOVIES / FITNESS / HOME / TRAVEL / REAL LIFE / SPORT

THE EDITOR // OPEN LETTER

Hi Readers, hope everyone is well, We are back with another issue, it is over a year now from Covid hit and completely decimated the economy, it has been so tough for individuals and businesses across the board, fingers crossed now that we have a road map and restrictions are easing that we can make a start at returning to normality. I am under no illusion it will take an exceptionally long time for things to recover though I hope for my own sanity and that of our readers that we never hear the horrid words LOCKDOWN again, we are done!

DANIEL MAY

Being the eternal optimist, we look forward to good times ahead, live music, gigs, eating out, cinema, the list goes on and on, and for GNI after being unable to hold our awards last year we are eager to hold our annual GNI MAG Awards which is scheduled for October so watch this space.

Editor & Operations Director GNI MAG / Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd. Daniel has been with GNI MAG since 2015, steering the publication forward and keeping it relevant with our growing market.

Originally from Craigavon, now living in Belfast, Daniel is a keen Thespian treading the boards and taking the

I must thank Gary Campion for the great work he done with the last issue, I was held up (not literally) in Africa thanks to Covid, and Gary stepped in to help, it was much appreciated, anyway I am back what already feels like a lifetime, typical!

This issue is crammed with so much content for you, Chart topper Tom Grennan is gracing the cover, we have interviews with Rag’N’Bone Man, Wes Nelson, SHAED, local lads Harry McGarrity and Jason C and more. Our features cover such an array of topics, Conversion Therapy being on everyone’s lips atm, we cover Flags, introduce Belfast Blaze, Allen Gordon, The River Rooms, Illustrations by SD and piles more.

And our resident columnists are also here to give you an insight into their lives over the past few months.

Be safe and enjoy reading our 46th issue.

Thanks again to all those who make GNI MAG possible, contributors, advertisers, readers and funders, Comic Relief LGBTQ+ COVID-19 Fund

lead role in many local productions.

RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION WWW.CARLISLEHOUSE.ORG

HELPING YOU TO FACE THE CHALLENGE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Make the first step in changing your life, visit www.carlislehouse.org 2-4 Henry Place, Clifton Street, Belfast, BT15-2BB Tel: 028 9032 8308, Email: carlislehouse@pcibsw.org

CONTENTS //

CREDITS //

WHAT’S INSIDE

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Daniel May [ 8 ]

TOM GRENNAN

[ 12 ]

CALLUM SKEFFINGTON

[ 14 ]

RAG’N’BONE MAN

[ 18 ]

CENSUS

[ 20 ]

WES NELSON

[ 23 ]

MICKY MURRAY

[ 24 ]

SHAED

[ 28 ]

HARRY MCGARRITY

[ 32 ]

SCOTT MCGLYNN

[ 34 ]

CARL CONNIELINGUS

[ 36 ]

X-MTV

[ 39 ]

JASON C

[ 42 ]

FLAGS

[ 46 ]

CONVERSION THERAPY

[ 48 ]

THE COURTYARD

[ 50 ]

TROPIC BY ALLEN

[ 52 ]

ILLUSTRATION BY SD

[ 56 ]

THE UNDERDOG DM

[ 62 ]

TARA’S HILL COTTAGE

[ 64 ]

NITE NITE

[ 66 ]

FOSTERING

[ 68 ]

MOMENTO OCCASIONS

[ 72 ]

THE RIVER ROOMS

[ 73 ]

FREETRAIN

[ 74 ]

MARTIN MURRAY

[ 74 ]

FITNESS WITH ANTHONY

[ 76 ]

BELFAST BLAZE

[ 78 ]

ANTHONY COOLEY

[ 80 ]

TOAST OFFICE

[ 81 ]

TRAVEL - IBIZA

[ 84 ]

TRAVELLING DURING PANDEMIC

[ 86 ]

HOME BY NICO

[ 88 ]

BREW AND BAKE

SALES Pauline Fitzpatrick DESIGN Tony Day

SPECIAL THANKS TO...

Tom Grennan / Rag’N’Bone Man / Wes Nelson / SHAED / Harry McGarrity / Scott McGlynn / Jason C / Jack Tracey / Colton Ford / Callum Skeffington / Micky Murray / Anthony Cooley / Carl Connie Lingus / Gourmet Boys / Gavyn Andrews / Martin Murray / Gavin Rennick / Connor Davenport / Jenny Entwistle / Jack Mizel / Haley Smith / The Rainbow Project / Allen Gordon / The Courtyard / Illustration by SD / The Underdog DM / Nigel and Gary / The River Room / Free Train / Belfast Blaze / Toast Office / Six by Nico / Brew and Bake / Flag Makers / Contrast Digital Limited / Otty / Chuff Media / Halestorm / Project Publicity / Yvonne Given / Boxed out PR / Media World / Action for Children

GNI MAG IS PUBLISHED BY...

Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd 13 Union Street Belfast BT1 2JF www.gnimag.com daniel@gnimag.com All submissions to GNI MAG are made on the basis of permission to publish the submission in GNI MAG and its licensed editions worldwide. In the case of a picture selection, the editor’s decision is final. Any material sent is at the owner’s risk and although every care is taken neither Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd or its agents shall be liable for loss or damage. We take great care to make sure all elements of GNI MAG are accurate. However we accept no liability for any misprints that appear in this magazine. You should seek professional advice prior to following any advice offered in this publication. Any opinions expressed are those of the writers and not those of GNI MAG or Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd. Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd 2021

/ B A R I S TA C O F F E E / S P E C I A L I T Y T E A / M I L K S H A K E S / / S M O O T H I E S / C H E E S E C A K E S / S A N D W I C H E S / T R E AT S /

CONNSBROOK AVENUE . SYDENHAM

GO!

CELEBRITY, COLUMNISTS, FEATURES, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE

INTERVIEW // TOM GRENNAN

EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // TOM GRENNAN

TOM

PHOTO CREDIT: ASHLEY VERSE

TOM GRENNAN’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SECOND ALBUM ‘EVERING ROAD’ DEBUTED AT #1 ON THE UK ALBUMS CHART WHEN IT WAS RELEASED IN MARCH. THE ALBUM IS GRENNAN’S BOLDEST ARTISTIC STATEMENT TO DATE. A COMING-OF-AGE TALE SHOT THROUGH WITH RAW EMOTION AND SEARING HONESTY, IT’S THE HUB OF LOVE, HEARTBREAK AND REDEMPTION. DESCRIBED AS “ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BRIGHT YOUNG MUSICAL TALENTS” BY BRITISH GQ, AND SIMPLY “EPIC” BY THE NME, THE SUN PRAISED TOM AS “THE ULTIMATE GEN Z ROCK STAR”. EVERING ROAD’ INCLUDES THE SINGLES ‘LITTLE BIT OF LOVE’, WHICH HAS BEEN STREAMED OVER 30 MILLION TIMES AND IS NOW TOP 10 IN THE UK SINGLES AND UK AIRPLAY CHART. IT’S ALSO ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING A HIT ACROSS EUROPE, WHERE IT’S CLIMBING AIRPLAY, ITUNES AND SPOTIFY CHARTS.

‘Evering Road’ marks the follow up to ‘Lighting Matches’ -Tom’s breakthrough album that cemented him as one of the UK’s most vital and exciting new artists, and one of the Top Ten best-selling debuts of 2018. A Top Five UK Gold-certified record, ‘Lighting Matches’ has amassed over a quarter of a billion streams, seen sold out headline shows at The Royal Albert Hall, O2 Academy Brixton.

How do you follow up a debut album that made you a star, with over a quarter of a billion

streams? When you’ve sold out shows at The Royal Albert Hall and Brixton Academy, what’s next? If you’re Tom Grennan, you start again.

You go deeper, open up yourself in ways you never thought possible and re-emerge with music to blaze you into the arenas and torch listeners’ hearts along the way. Welcome to Evering Road. It’s a hub of love, heartbreak and redemption. It’s also the uplifting, welcoming community everyone needs right now.

NINE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // TOM GRENNAN

Tom Grennan’s second album documents the break-up of Tom’s relationship of three years, and its aftermath. But Evering Road – named after the couple’s former home in Clapton, East London – is the polar opposite of a self-pitying break-up album. Instead, its 14 masterful, redemptive anthems form “a sorry letter and a thank-you letter” to Tom’s ex, as well as the soundtrack to your own universal euphoric escapism.

extent of this rare talent’s ambition. “We had a whole show set up for when the album was meant to be out last year,” Tom explains of his new plans to create an immersive theatrical experience involving different rooms from Evering Road’s setting. “I’m going back to the drawing board, because I know I can do better. You can’t take shows for granted anymore, and I want to go one step further, to make the shows even bigger.”

Although the album was completed weeks before lockdown, songs as comforting as ‘Something Better’ and ‘Little Bit Of Love’ or the defiant holler of ‘If Only’ and ‘Amen’ have the communal widescreen emotional impact to bring everyone together, even when crowds can’t yet happen. And once regular shows can happen again, Tom Grennan’s second album will explode even further. “It’s an album that can help people out with their own situation,” states Tom. “Once it’s out in the world, these songs belong to other people, who can take them on. Once a song means something else to someone else, amazing! They’ve created their own story.

That helps them and me move on, and that’s what an album is for.”

If Tom’s tour is as big as the songs on Evering Road, it’ll be a true classic. Being honest about his break-up has led to an album far more spirited and emotionally open than the vast majority of pop in any era. “Noone is really sounding like this album at the moment,” Tom points out. “I’ve had a long time to live with these songs, and every time I listen the songs get better. I’m buzzing for people to hear it, because I know it’s a strong album and that I’ve done a good job.”

Of course, Tom already knows the impact an album can have. His Gold-certified debut Lighting Matches was one of 2018’s Top 10 best-selling debuts. Huge tunes like ‘Found What I’ve Been Looking For’, ‘Barbed Wire’ and ‘Something In The Water’ propelled Tom to sold-out headline shows at Royal Albert Hall and Brixton Academy, where Tom headlined for the second time in October 2020 in an online VR spectacular that both said farewell to his debut and introduced a rapturous audience watching at home to Evering Road. “It was an honour to play Brixton again,” enthuses Tom, who also headlined Newcastle Virgin Money Utility Arena at a show as ecstatically received as social distancing allows. “It was sad, not seeing anyone bouncing around and singing along with me at Brixton this time, but it was just great to be singing again and I loved it.”

Tom is itching to play a full tour, scheduled for September, which will showcase the

TEN // GNIMAG.COM

Although the powerful ‘Sweeter Then’ and ‘If Only’ took less than an hour to write, Evering Road was a tough record to make, as Tom faced up to owning the problems, he’d helped create amid the whirlwind of Lighting Matches’ success. “I knew what I wanted to say, but I was afraid to say it,” he admits. “I was happy living my dream as a singer. But, as soon as my first album tour finished, I thought ‘I’m not really happy.’ Shit was going on at home, and I felt I was the cause of all the unhappiness. I didn’t really know what to do. Then I dived into my head, opening doors I never thought I could, as I was too scared to open them.”

Tom admits “There were demons around” before the break-up. “I was caught up in a web of stupidity and I had to leave, because I was doing her wrong. I was hurting her, and I was also hurting myself. I knew when I left it was best for both of us.” The powerful video for ‘Little Bit Of Love’ sees Tom examine the toxic masculinity he’s trying to avoid. “The album is about how I’ve grown into a different person. The people I was hanging around with, the area I lived in, all these different influences led me into a bad territory. I was doing silly things and not thinking about

anything. But I’ve got my head screwed on now. I’m 25, not a young kid anymore.”

Tom’s emotional, careworn voice is the perfect vessel for songs that embrace maturity and the struggles of self-acceptance, while resolutely refusing to wallow in the fallout of lost love. “It was important the album started straight away with a very stomping song like ‘If Only,’” explains Tom. “I wanted the album to sound euphoric and hard-hitting, as that represents the emotions of the story of how I’ve changed. I felt low and rough before writing these songs, but I didn’t and don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. I’m saying sorry, that I know I was an idiot, that I just want to admit it, become a better man and move on.”

As part of the process of moving on, Tom gave up drinking and smoking for recording his vocals. He should become a poster boy for clean living, as his voice is even more affecting second time round than the instantly identifiable growl that made Lighting Matches so addictive. Tom has stayed sober since, the stresses of lockdown easier to cope with on a clear head. “Exercise has been my escape,” says Tom, who is running 100K during January for War Child’s Peace Band campaign. “When I tour this album, I’m going to be clean living.

I want to give myself a fighting chance and not be slacking. I want to be an athlete for this album, bring the best of everything I can to everything for this record.”

That sporting mindset continues with Tom’s goals for Evering Road’s success. Comparing his status to the Premier League’s most unlikely title winners, Tom laughs: “I feel like I’m hiding away in mid-table, but I’m going to be like Leicester City and take the crown this time. But I don’t think of music as a competition, because we can all share the glory. I’m on my own path and I’ll always be proud of what I’ve achieved in making this record.”

The record was made with legendary writer/ producer Eg White (Adele, Amy Winehouse, Sam Smith), Mark Ralph (Hot Chip, Plan B), Bastille producer Mark Crew and Dan Grech

INTERVIEW // TOM GRENNAN

(Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Mumford & Sons) – like Tom, Dan is from Bedford, four doors down the street from where Tom would later grow up.

Once the pandemic clears, Evering Road could become a musical pilgrimage. The album’s dynamic sleeve – designed by Hales Curtis and Mark Mattack, the pair who created Stormzy’s album sleeve for ‘Heavy Is The Head’ – sees Tom staring down his future, literally in the middle of Evering

Road. “If Evering Road becomes the new Abbey Road for fans going there, cool!” reckons Tom. “I couldn’t change the name of the road for this album. It needed to be honest, to be what the songs are about, and Evering Road sums it all up.”

If one song sums up Evering Road, it’s the beautiful closer, ‘Love Has Different Ways To Say Goodbye’. It’s a moment of peace that draws together the different threads of Tom’s personal and musical growth. “It was

It also demonstrates just how much Tom Grennan has developed as an artist – a term he was wary of applying to himself before. “I’m not learning on the job anymore,” he reasons.

“I’ll always love Lighting Matches for what it did for me, and what it did for other people.

But I’ve definitely become an artist with Evering Road, and I never would have said that about myself before. I’ve always been a grafter, and I still am, 100%. But I’ve grafted on this record in a different way – I’ve got into the nitty-gritty of what’s been going on in my head.” Come on in to Evering Road: there’s a warm welcome waiting.

ELEVEN // GNIMAG.COM

PHOTO CREDIT: ASHLEY VERSE

Having spent the first part of lockdown back with his parents in Bedford, Tom is keenly aware of the importance of community, especially during the pandemic.

He became a dog walker and got groceries for vulnerable neighbours. He also regularly chats with fans on his social media, a warm and empathetic p r e s e n c e .

“Community is key to getting us through coronavirus,” he reasons.

“We’re all going through the same struggle. I try to be as vocal as I can with anyone who’s invested time in me. It’s only doing your bit in the community, to see if everyone is OK.”

very emotional in the studio for that song,” Tom recalls.

“I knew it was time to say goodbye to the person I wrote the songs about, as well as goodbye to the person I was. It was time to start a new journey.

I knew ‘Love Has Different Ways To Say Goodbye’ wasn’t a single, but album songs can be just as important. It wraps the album up, saying ‘This is how it was – and this is how my life has to be now.’”

OPINION // CALLUM SKEFFINGTON

CALLUM SKEFFINGTON MY SHARED LIVING NIGHTMARE. IN JANUARY 2020 I FOUND myself in the position of needing a new place to live.

My flatmate, and best friend of almost twenty-three years, was moving in with her boyfriend, and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to afford the rent for our apartment by myself. I initially was hopeful that I would find someone to move in with me, but in the wake of Christmas and all of my friends already in rental contracts, it proved to be fruitless.

I turned to an agency who provided single room rentals that eventually led to me renting a room in a six bed house. Now, shared living was something that I was aware of, however I only really associated it with university students. So as a twentyfive year old “adult” I felt like I was taking a major step back by moving into a shared household, especially when my friend was moving in with her boyfriend and even thinking of a mortgage. But I had no other option at that time.

If you have never experienced shared living first hand, there is one thing you do need to understand; it is a lottery of luck. I work with a girl who really did luck out when she moved into her shared house. They all get along really well; their landlord even has potential renters meet at least one of the existing household so they can give their seal of approval.

They have Come Dine With Me dinner nights and do their home workouts together. They have a group chat, they know each other’s names and they actually interact for longer than twenty seconds at a time. I had none of this.

Aside from a few brief exchanges of names when I

TWELVE // GNIMAG.COM

first moved in, which were subsequently forgotten, the majority of the people I lived with never even bothered to introduce themselves. I resorted to nicknaming most of them, and the closest thing I had to Come Dine With We was when a Russian guy decided he would go through my cupboards looking for food. Right in front of me.

HE AND HIS GIRLFRIEND WOULD HAVE OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD SEX, AND I WOKE UP MANY TIMES, IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING, TO THE SOUND OF HER FOGHORN MOANS IN RETURN TO HIM SLAMMING HER INTO THE MATTRESS. The turnover rate in a shared household is fast, so in the time I lived there I encountered a lot of different types of people. Like the guy in the room above me who washed his dishes in the bathroom sink.

He and his girlfriend would have obnoxiously loud sex, and I woke up many times, in the early hours of the morning, to the sound of her foghorn moans in return to him slamming her into the mattress.

I can’t say that I miss Thrasher and Moaner any more than I miss Headphones - a girl who was hell bent on avoiding conversation by never leaving her room without music blasting in her ears - or the Filipino girl who would leave raw, unpackaged meat to defrost on the kitchen worktops for days at a time. Raw Chicken was a lovely girl who, unlike most, actually made a bit of an effort to talk if you were to walk in on her prepping a week’s worth of meals. But the conversation was always the same.

And there are only so many times I can endure the same small talk. For some unknown reason, she had come to the conclusion that I had a really good job that I loved, despite the fact that I had told her every single time that my job was just okay, and my living situation spoke for the salary.

Raw Chicken wasn’t the worst, by any means, but her for-a-time boyfriend was a complete creep and easily fifteen years older than her. The Boyfriend was one of these typical facebook theory lovers, who was quick to knock on my bedroom door back in March 2020 to warn me that helicopters would be flying over Belfast that night to spray disinfectant across the city to wipe out COVID. He would force a conversation with me every time I saw him, and multiple times I was asked to join them for dinner; usually when I had just finished cooking for myself to watch in front of the TV in my bedroom. Needless to say, my bedroom door was locked every night when he was over.

I’ll never know why they broke up. I only know that she left a bag of his clothes at the front door one day, and I saw him drop off flowers and a box of chocolates. Those were quick to find the overflowing bin that nobody but me ever seemed to empty.

I wouldn’t go as far to say that my time in shared living was entirely horrible. I did like the way I had decorated my bedroom. It was conveniently close to the city centre, and the rent was fairly cheap considering the bills were included. And I did spend four out of the eleven months living in my home house with my family thanks to the pandemic. I am glad to be out of that shared house though. Glad to be away from the Russian who stole my boyfriend’s leftover pizza, causing me to leave a very passive aggressive note in the fridge. Glad to be able to sleep through the night without the thumps and pounds and gasps and moans of two shameless cis-het’s having sex. Glad to have my toiletries in my bathroom rather than in a box under the desk in my bedroom. And I am glad to have moved into a house with my boyfriend after we both spent a few months living out of my bedroom in the shared house. It is great to have the space to sit further than a few metres apart.

I didn’t have the best experience in shared living, but it could have been worse. Like it was for the Belgian girl who moved over to Northern Ireland just as the pandemic was kicking off, and spent all of her time living and working in her bedroom, only to move back to Belgium again

This is an opinion piece from the columnist/contributor and not the opinion of GNI MAG / Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd.

PACKAGE INCLUDES

Sparkling Wine Drinks Reception 4-Course Wedding Banquet Room Hire of Flax Suite Master of Ceremonies White Linen Cake Stand and Knife

Room Dressing Includes Light Backdrop Curtain, 30 Chair Covers, 30 Sashes, 3 Table Centres and Overlay

30 Chocolate Heart favours Rose Petals or Table Crystals Scattered for Guest Tables Preferential Bedroom Rates for Guests

10 Donegall Square South, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 5JD | 028 9024 1001 | weddings@tensquare.co.uk

INTERVIEW // RAG’N’BONE MAN

RAG’N’BONE MAN BY: JENNY ENTWISTLE

FOURTEEN// GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // RAG’N’BONE MAN

RAG‘N’BONE MAN RELEASES AN INCREDIBLE NEW COLLABORATION WITH US SUPERSTAR P!NK ON THEIR STUNNING NEW SINGLE ‘ANYWHERE AWAY FROM HERE’, OUT NOW, TAKEN FROM HIS HUGELY ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM ‘LIFE BY MISADVENTURE’ – RELEASED MAY 7TH ON COLUMBIA.

THE NEW ALBUM IS A STEP APART FROM “HUMAN” SONICALLY, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A NATURAL PROGRESSION – ARE YOU EXCITED TO FINALLY GET THE MUSIC OUT THERE AS YOU’VE BEEN SITTING ON IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR? Yeah, it sort of feels like I’m starting afresh almost, because it is so different to the last project. I feel it feels good and it does feel like the right time to be releasing it, you know I can’t sit on it forever. The worry was that it’ll just get put off and put off and put off until ‘everything’s back to normal’. But, you know, I think I really needed this, to be honest.

YOU RECORDED THE MAJORITY OF THE ALBUM WHEN THINGS WERE SORT OF NORMAL BACK IN NASHVILLE, USA. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE CITY THAT PARTICULARLY ATTRACTED YOU TO RECORD THE MAJORITY OF THE RELEASE THERE? It wasn’t really the city, it was more of the people, to be honest. It’s hard to explain, Nashville itself and the downtown part of Nashville is like country music Disney. Then when you step outside of that part, then you kind of start to get to know the other parts and it’s really, it’s really beautiful and it’s…. there’s so many great venues and it’s not just country music either, there’s so much more than that. I went over there in

the first place just to see what the song writing was like because I’d got to a point in the UK where I think I had maybe about eight songs for the record, but I’d come to a bit of a hole. I didn’t feel very particularly inspired. I was in a bit of a slump, then it was talked about that I would go away.

Nashville, I’ve been there before and I kind of knew a few people. I’d spoken to Foy Vance about Natalie Hemby, and it would be amazing if I worked with her, so I did some writing with her. I also wrote with Allen Shamblin and Mike Reid the guys that wrote, “I can’t make you love me” (Bonnie Raitt) which is like, in my top five songs of all time. The fact that they were still working, you know they’re both in their 70s, and were like, “we really want to work with you’ and were gassed to work with me and I thought, ‘…these guys want to work with me...They’re like heroes’. So we kind of wrote the rest of the record and decided we’d record it out there as well, because the original plan was to write it and then just come back here and produce it. But I met Mike Elizondo and saw his studio and was like “we have to do it here. There’s no other options.”

SO THE EIGHT TRACKS THAT YOU HAD BEFORE YOU WENT OUT THERE, DID THEY HAVE THE AMERICANA VEIN WITHIN THEM ALREADY, AND THEN IT WAS JUST HONED AND AMPLIFIED BY BEING IN NASHVILLE?

Yeah, I had written all of these songs pretty much exclusively on just acoustic guitar and piano. We hadn’t really touched any production at that point. The plan was to just live with the songs in just that space and not have anything get in the way of it. We really got to live with those songs for ages before we even thought about a production. We went over to Nashville this time last year as it was just as the pandemic hit that we were over there.

We had three weeks set out to record the album then they said, ‘You’ve got to quarantine for two weeks when you get there.’ So, it was me, my keys player and my bass player who I brought out to play on the album, and we had to stay in this house, which was next door to the studio.

But we weren’t allowed in the studio. We just had to spend two weeks by ourselves in the house, which was so frustrating! We had nothing to do for two weeks, but we started rehearsing the songs a little bit between us, and then realised we only had a week to record the whole album.

It forced us to make the decision to just record the album as if it were live and put everyone in place. We just played it until we got it right and it was the best decision, even though we were forced to do it, it was the best decision ever because it, it turned out… when I listened to it now, I can visualise where all the instruments are in the room, and it feels like I’m standing there again, and that’s what I wanted in the first place, so it works out perfectly.

FIFTEEN // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // RAG’N’BONE MAN We’ve got the most amazing drummer Daru Jones to play on the record, has given the whole record by this amazing feel. Wendy Melvoin played guitar and she’s obviously from Prince and The Revolution. Yeah, she’s like got this amazing cinematic sort of thing…. she does incredible stuff and then Bill from my band at home and BJ who I wrote all the songs with, like, the whole album with. Yeah, it just turned out like this real organic record and I have basically fallen in love with and it’s my favourite thing I’ve ever done in my life.

‘IT MUST BE SO INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING TO RECORD THE ALBUM AS LIVE, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING JUST FALLS APART THIS YEAR SO YOU CAN’T ACTUALLY GET OUT ON THE ROAD. HOWEVER WE HAVE ANNOUNCED A MASSIVE TOUR FOR YOU AT THE END OF THE YEAR, INCLUDING A SHOW AT BELFAST’S WATERFRONT ON 19TH OCTOBER. HOW MUCH ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GEARING UP AND ACTUALLY PLAYING THESE SONGS, THE WAY THAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PERFORMED AND HEARD? We’re all ready. Me and my band are really well rehearsed at the moment because we luckily, we were able to get together this past year during the summer to record sessions and we thought originally it was just a good opportunity to play together but it was, it was a great idea really because now we know the songs really well we played them loads, everybody’s just itching to get on that tour bus again. I’m ready. I’m so bad at being at home for long periods of time. Like my Missus used to just tell me to go out, when I got back from tour because she sort of had enough for me because I just sort of walked around the house aimlessly.

I really didn’t know what to do. It has been cool, because I’ve got to spend time with my family but at the same time it feels like a limb has been cut off because of that life that has been taken away. It feels positive at the moment though, it feels like we’re on the brink of it, on the horizon of like, it’s the ...it’s right in front of us and we’re so ready.

RETURNING FROM NASHVILLE YOU FINISHED THE ALBUM AT HOME IN BRIGHTON. BRIGHTON IS ALSO THE FIRST DATE OF THE UK TOUR - DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO BE QUITE LIKE AN EMOTIONAL GIG? I’m gonna cry! 100%. It’ll be well emotional because I haven’t sung most of the songs

SIXTEEN // GNIMAG.COM

in public before properly. Apart from a couple... and so I don’t really know how they’re going to make me feel. That’s always the worry that when you write the songs and you’re in the moment when you write them it’s great, but then when you have to play them in front of people and you have to look people in the face when you’re saying these things, the worry is that it’ll be too emotional. But I’m ready for it.

IT’S A BRILLIANT LONG RUN OF DATES, ARE THERE ANY SHOWS IN PARTICULAR YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO? Manchester is one of my favourite places to play and Bristol as well. I think Manchester for just the sheer like madness of the crowds. When you get a good gig in Manchester, it is unlike anywhere else. They really go mad and they’re a mental bunch of people, and it’s beautiful. Bristol as well for other reasons, I have loads and loads of friends in Bristo - my sister lives there and I have loads of people from surrounding areas who always come to the gig and then always end up having a massive party afterwards. So I can’t wait for that and I just can’t wait to see people to be honest. I just want to see people’s faces. I can’t wait.

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT YOU’VE SAID ABOUT WRITING THIS ALBUM IS YOU’VE STAYED AWAY THE LOVE SONGS AND THE BREAKUP SONGS, AS YOU KNOW THEY’RE TRACKS YOU WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. YOU’VE BEEN VERY OPEN AND HONEST WITH THE LYRICS IN OTHER RESPECTS, AS IN TRACK ‘ANYWHERE AWAY FROM HERE’ YOU’VE DISCUSSED THE STRUGGLES THAT COMES WITH BEING THRUST INTO THE SPOTLIGHT. IT’S SUCH A RELATABLE SONG BECAUSE IT’S TRANSLATABLE TO SO MANY SITUATIONS. WHEN YOU WERE WRITING IT, DID YOU THINK ABOUT HOW THE SONGS WOULD RELATE TO OTHER SCENARIOS OR IS IT VERY MUCH JUST YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE RELATABLE FOR OTHER PEOPLE? It always starts off with a personal story, but it’s in the back of my mind ‘can this song be somebody else’s song?’ It always should be that for me because I always want people to make it what they want to make it and can relate it to their situation. That’s what really helps people and that’s when music becomes everybody’s when it’s relatable to so many people. So, yeah so it’s always, always in the back of my mind when I’m

writing songs.

WHAT’S THE SONG THAT YOU’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO PEOPLE HEARING? I wrote this song called “Alone.” It sort of feels a bit 90s, in a way I feel, as listened to a lot of Radiohead at the time, and Oasis and stuff like that. The sonic of it is very much like that, that era of music, but then the subject is really different. It was a conversation I’d have with someone years ago, about the possibility of becoming a parent, and how not everybody wants that. And it’s okay to not want that. As men we don’t really get stick from our families about ‘Oh, when you’re going to have to settle down’ and ‘When are you going

INTERVIEW // RAG’N’BONE MAN to find someone’ or ‘When you’re going to make me a grandparent?’ But women do really get that and it made me think… that must be horrible, being constantly pressured. So that’s what the songs about, the pressure from people to have a family when maybe that’s not what they want. It’s an interesting subject to talk about, it’s kind of sad and it’s kind of a really archaic way of looking at things.

THEN TALKING ABOUT LIFE MILESTONES, SINCE THE RELEASE OF “HUMAN” YOU’VE WELCOMED YOUR SON. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR OUTLOOK HAS CHANGED TOWARDS YOUR MUSIC AND YOUR STYLE SINCE BECOMING A FATHER?

I think you just become less selfish as a person. It definitely broadens your thought process, but it also makes me a lot more worried about the future so I’ve talked a lot about that on the album. Like, what have I done bringing a child into this world because it’s crazy at the moment. It’s definitely made me a lot more open and a lot more honest. I feel like this record is the most honest I’ve ever been on anything. It’s also made me not so scared of being honest as well. I don’t feel like I should keep that to myself because what will people think of me? I don’t really care now, because what I want from my son is freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of thought and freedom to love whoever they want. Stuff like that. So, it’s made me more open as a person, 100%.

HE WILL ALSO BE TOURING THE UK THIS AUTUMN, TICKETS ON SALE October Sun 17th Mon 18th Tue 19th Thu 21st Fri 22nd Sat 23rd Mon 25th Thu 28th Fri 29th Sun 31st

Brighton Dublin Belfast Leeds Bristol Bournemouth Glasgow Plymouth Manchester Birmingham

November Wed 3rd Sat 6th

Newcastle London

SEVENTEEN // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // CENSUS

WHY IS LGBT+ INCLUSION IN THE UK CENSUS IMPORTANT, AND WHERE DOES IT LEAD? EIGHTEEN // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // CENSUS

PRIDE IS THE CORNERSTONE EVENT FOR THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY WORLD-WIDE. IT AFFORDS THE COMMUNITY SOMETHING NO OTHER EVENT DOES – VISIBILITY. THIS VISIBILITY IS VITAL TO REMIND LAW MAKERS THAT THE COMMUNITY EXISTS, AND MORE BROADLY, IS SUPPORTED BY SIBLINGS, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND MANY OTHER ALLIES. SUPPORT THAT MANIFESTS AS A STRONG, ALBEIT RATHER OPINIONATED, VOTING BLOC. MANY OF THE LAWS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY ARE AMENDMENTS TO FORMER, LESS INCLUSIVE, LAWS, AND BY DEFINITION ARE MUCH EASIER TO REVERSE THAN THEY WERE TO LEGISLATE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WITHOUT LGBT+ COMMUNITY VISIBILITY, THE REALITY OF THIS OCCURRING IS FRIGHTENINGLY PROBABLE. Marriage Equality legislation is more about equality than the nuptials it allows LGBT+ folk to enter into. The broad reaching legislative amendments attached to most marriage acts rights many of the previously ignored wrongs and fortifies principles of inclusion and equality. Although not all LGBT+ folk will tie the knot, all will benefit from being treated as equals in the eyes of the law, particularly in areas of employment, last wills and testaments, next of kin, taxation, and wealth creation.

The next obvious step is to be truly counted.

Reliable data on the proportion of the population that is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender will be gathered for the first time in next year’s census, with members of the public asked to provide information about their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The questions – which will be voluntary and for people aged 16 and over – will help to build a clearer picture for policy-makers and service-providers, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

“Without robust data on the size of the LGBT population at a national and local level, decision-makers are operating in a vacuum, unaware of the extent and nature of disadvantage which LGBT+ people may be experiencing in terms of health, educational outcomes, employment and housing,” Iain Bell,

the ONS deputy national statistician, told the Observer.

While there are estimates of sexual orientation at national and regional levels, the once-a-decade survey would provide data at local authority level in England and Wales. Bell added: “And there is no robust data available on gender identity at all. This data is needed by local authorities and service providers.”

Distrust of authority and government has deep seated roots in the LGBT+ community. This is not without serious foundation. For many years the community has been deliberately treated as second class citizens, told (by lack of action to resolve the issues) that they don’t deserve equality, and that both their orientation and sexual practises are abhorrent and against God. Changing this reticence to trust the authorities by providing personal information is not going to be easy to overcome. It is however something that must be done.

Census data, by the sheer nature of the process, is confidential. The gathered data however is vital in maintaining visibility and augmenting what Pride does on an internal government level.

Whilst understanding not all people who identify as LGBT+ are “out”, those who are, need to step up to the plate and inform law makers of both the significant proportion of the population that does identify as LGBT+ and that the community’s needs are real and

should be seriously addressed.

If we simply take one area of great concern, health, we realise the impact changing hearts and minds will have.

It is well documented that the health needs of LGBT+ folk is unique. Men’s health, trans* health, and bi-sexual health being three incredibly important areas not currently being fully addressed in a manner that minimises discrimination, promotes easy access, and effectively addresses the full range of physical and mental health requirements. Targeted health services are urgently required and census data is used to establish this need in a very real and legislative fashion.

In the future I strongly urge all LGBT+ folk to take this opportunity to authentically be counted and fill in the census form correctly and fully.

Disclosing information of this kind may be uncomfortable, but it is essential and the benefits widespread and lasting.

Pride365 Certified CEO Jack Mizel.

NINETEEN // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // WES NELSON

WES NELSON

IT’S ONLY FRIGGIN WES NELSON, HE STOLE HEARTS ON LOVE ISLAND, SKATED INTO THE NATION’S HEART ON DANCING ON ICE AND LAST YEAR HE WAS SIGNED BY EMI RECORDS, WE CATCH UP TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

BY DANIEL MAY

TWENTY // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // WES NELSON

BEFORE WE CHAT, MUSIC LET’S back track. Before Love island at 20 years old, you were a Systems Design Engineer, that makes you sound super smart, for us average minded beings can you explain what that is lol Yeah. I was a Nuclear System Design Engineer. So, I designed the chemical electrical integration systems. Basically, that go into, essentially, nuclear stuff. It’s a nucleary-sounding job, basically. Science-y.

LOVE ISLAND BROUGHT YOU INTO THE PUBLIC EYE, WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST MEMORY AND LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE SHOW? My fondest memories were probably a collection of all the small little things. So, some things that probably didn’t even make the show. Just like little jokes, and this, that and the other. Just the small banter, and the sort of, cabin fever that we had caught again towards the end. I think the fondest memories probably were just Josh, and just waking up and messing around. And then least fond. Probably getting dumped when I came back.

CAROLINE FLACK’S, ANNIVERSARY WAS IN FEBRUARY, DID YOU WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY AND WHAT WAS SHE LIKE AS A PERSON? I haven’t watched the documentary. So, purely because I have my own memories of Caroline, and how amazing she was as a person.

She’s such a sensitive soul, and such a lovely person to be around. And we’ve got the

greatest memories from on the show. And I’ve seen her off the show, and yeah, she was an amazing, amazing woman.

And yeah, that’s the only reason I didn’t want to watch the documentary on it, is because I have my memories of Caroline, and I didn’t want that to blur anything.

YOU ARE A GREAT LOOKING GUY WHO IS BOUND TO GET LOADS OF ATTENTION, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH MALE ATTENTION? Well, I’m not sure how to deal yet. I’ve not really had it, I suppose I just be flattered with a compliment.

DO YOU WORK OUT A LOT? I don’t actually work out. That’s what I was saying when you asked me about the gym or cardio. I don’t actually work out at all.

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR ABS? I don’t know. I think that’s big Alf Nelson and Pauline Nelson, their genetics. Parents, really.

It’s gonna catch up with me one day, but until then, I’m just gonna stick to chilling.

WHAT ABOUT FOOD - ARE YOU ONE OF LUCKY ONES WHO CAN EAT EVERYTHING AND NOT GAIN A POUND, OR DO YOU FOLLOW A STRICT PLAN? My diet is pretty atrocious. I can’t lie. Because, especially with music, it’s difficult with the hours and stuff that you’re working. And then some things are so spontaneous, so you don’t always have time to meal prep, or cook and stuff like that.

So yeah, a lot of takeaways.

TWENTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // WES NELSON

SO MANY WILL BE CURIOUS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP STATUS? WHAT’S THE STORY, SINGLE, DATING? Yeah, I’m keeping everything super-private right now in my relationship side of things.

Because, for me, I think I’ve been open and honest with relationships before, and showed everything to the media, and showed everything to the world. And for them to have their say on it. And I’ve realised now that that’s just not for me, in a relationship. It just doesn’t work for me. I don’t like the pressures that comes with it. And yeah, I think to keep everything healthy, I just like to keep everything super-hush.

So, you may see something or another, but you won’t get it out of me, sorry.

ON TO DANCING ON ICE – ANOTHER SHOW WATCHED

BY MILLIONS. HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT, DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME FORWARD OR WHERE YOU ASKED? They approached my management at the time, and just asked if I wanted to do it, and I’m not one to shy away from any sort of opportunity. So, I thought, you know, I’m terrible at ice skating. It’d be great to actually be decent by the time it comes to Christmas.

OH I DIDN’T REALISE YOU WERE A COMPLETE NOVICE, SO DID YOU CONTINUE TO SKATE AFTER? Yeah, I never really skated. I think I’d been two or three times before that when I was drunk at Christmas and stuff.

But I was one of the worst when we started. It’s been difficult this year. But for sure, when things

open again, I’d love to get back on the ice.

COVID HAS CAUSED HAVOC FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES, HOW HAS THE PAST YEAR BEEN FOR YOU? For me, it’s been good. It’s been good in a sense. Career-wise, it’s actually been, surprisingly, one of the best years of my life, if not the best year of my life. Purely because I’ve been able to focus on things. I’ve been able to take away distractions and really hone in on music. Obviously, when I started out the first lockdown, I was at Josh’s house.

That was when I’d just split with Arabella. I jumped into Josh’s gaff for the time being until she could sort her stuff out, with moving and all that sort, and then I went back. But when I was at Josh’s, I was doing the... and I still am, now, every single day. Like, double-figure days of just writing and recording and just getting a big catalogue of songs. So, for me, it’s just taken all the distractions away and just let me focus on music.

YOU HAVE SAID ONE OF THE SECRETS TO YOUR SUCCESS IS WISE PROPERTY INVESTMENTS, ANY WORDS OF WISDOM TO BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS? Yeah, for sure. I think it’s important, especially as young people, to understand that property is something that you can get into without a load of capital and a load of money. You can do it without. There’s ways to work around it. But yeah, property is something that I still do. My dad actually manages my properties now. He’s retired, so he now manages all my properties for me, my brother’s,

TWENTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

etc, etc. And, yeah, we’ve got a nice little family thing going on now. So yeah, it’s definitely something I’d advise. It’s safe as houses. It’s something that’s always there. You can fall back on it. Whatever you want to do.

NOW ON TO MUSIC, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SURPRISED

BY YOUR TALENT AFTER SEEING YOU ON CELEB X FACTOR, HAS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER WITHIN? CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING SIGNED BY EMI IT’S BOUND TO BE A DREAM COME TRUE. Yeah. So, like, EMI is one of the greatest record labels in the UK right now. They’ve won countless awards and they signed me over. And they’re an amazing team. And the team that I have around me is supercustomed to me. And they cater for all my needs and sort out everything that needs to be sorted. And put me in places that I wouldn’t be able to go.

Universal, obviously, are huge labels to this. That’s the main, that’s the major. They just have a lot of connects that I wouldn’t be able to have beforehand.

And it was overwhelming for me, having a record label sign me, because that is literally my biggest life goal ever. So then, when that happened, it was crazy. And then, obviously, I’ve just signed my new updated deal, which is a little longer, and yeah, it’s just the greatest feeling in the world.

YOUR 2ND SINGLE NICE TO MEET YA, WAS JUST RELEASED, I LOVE IT, SO CATCHY. TELL US HOW THE

COLLAB CAME ABOUT? So, with me and Yxng Bane, we’d read the song and we was actually going to do it just as it was. But then I thought, ‘You know what, let’s...’ I mean, the thing is with me, if I’m releasing a song, I want the song to be the best song possible, regardless of whether it’s got a feature or not. So, I was just thinking this could have a feature. Someone could bring something, another dimension out of this. And that’s what Bane did, and I think Bane suits the profile. He’s a cheeky chappie.

The song’s a cheeky song.

Like, a bit of a sweet boy vibe.

And it’s just like, he suits the song perfectly. And his voice, obviously first and foremost, is amazing over the track, and I think yeah, his energy and my energy collab real well on the song.

IS AN ALBUM NEXT ON THE AGENDA AND ANY PLANS FOR TOURING, FESTIVALS ETC? I definitely want to do some live performances this year. I’ll not announce what they are yet. But yeah, keep your eyes peeled for them. And An album, maybe not this year. I definitely want to do a body of work and get something together. Maybe a little EP or something like that.

I’m not sure yet. But probably next year looking for an album.

But this year, expect a lot more music. And yeah, enjoy.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH ME TODAY, ALL THE BEST, HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. It’s all good. Thank you so much.

OPINION // MICKY MURRAY

MICKY MURRAY WE DID IT! Ban Conversion Therapy NI Campaign Update If you’ve read any of my columns before, or you’ve seen any of my social media, then you’ll be aware that for the past few years I’ve been campaigning to have conversion therapy, otherwise known as the “gay cure”, banned in Northern Ireland, and the public petition which I had created has gained 25,000 signatures, and was presented to the Assembly in March, and there are motions of support going through various councils across NI.

campaign in GB.

reign and continue to carry out such harmful practices.

We asked our supporters to email their MLAs, and to make this as easy as possible banconversiontherapy. com made it so that if you go onto their website and go to ‘email your MP’ it will send the campaign email to your local MLA, and the response was astounding with over 5000 people contacting their MLAs to urge them to support a ban on conversion therapy.

The debate in the Assembly was fairly respectful, up to a point when Jim Allister of the TUV and Jim Wells of the DUP spoke, and parties from right across the house, Alliance, UUP, SDLP, SF, GPNI, PBP, and both independents voted against the DUP amendment 59 votes to 28, and in favour of the original motion 58 votes to 24.

On Tuesday 20th April, MLAs debated a motion calling for a legislative ban, and while a motion won’t legislate for a ban, it will put pressure on the Minister for Communities to legislate for a meaningful ban by the end of this mandate, which is due to come to an end in April 2022.

Now what does this mean now?

The motion read:

Just a quick run-down on what conversion therapy is, it’s a practise that seeks to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, historically it’s been in the form of aversion therapies and electric shock treatments, which still happens around the world, it’s also sold as a type of counselling, usually by religious or faith based groups.

There has been significant research done on conversion therapy and the impact it has on victims, more than half of those who have undergone conversion therapy are left with mental health issues, of which a third have attempted to end their own lives. So is short, conversion therapy kills.

“That this Assembly rejects the harmful practice widely referred to as conversion therapy; notes that the UK Government National LGBT Survey in 2018 reported that 2% of respondents had undergone conversion therapy with a further 5% having being offered it; acknowledges the damage this practice causes to the mental health of those who are subjected to it; further acknowledges that this practice has been widely rejected by medical professionals; declares that it is fundamentally wrong to view our LGBTQ community as requiring a fix or cure; and calls on the Minister for Communities to commit to bringing forward legislation before the end of the current Assembly mandate to ban conversion therapy in all its forms.”

Recently I’ve partnered up with The Rainbow Project, Northern Ireland Humanists, Left Side Up, Cara-Friend, HERe NI, and Stonewall, along with some other individuals and organisations to form the Ban Conversion Therapy NI coalition, which we launched a couple of weeks ago, in conjunction with the Ban Conversion Therapy

To be clear, no one is trying to criminalise prayer or prevent people from talking to their faith leaders, this type of rhetoric is worded in such a way to make people believe that we’re trying to criminalise religion, and that’s not what we’re doing.

Disappointingly, although not all too surprising, the DUP attempted to remove the line about it being fundamentally wrong to view our LGBTQ community as requiring fix or cure, and attempted to amend the motion so that “preaching, prayer, and pastoral support”, couldn’t be defined as conversion therapy.

Unfortunately faith based conversion therapy is the most common type and the most unregulated, and there are faith groups who actively preform conversion therapy under the guise of “pastoral support” which is why it’s too important to allow churched to have free

Well the motion isn’t legally binding, so nothing has changed on a legislative level, but we now know that the NI Assembly is overwhelmingly in support of a legislative ban on conversion therapy, but possibly the most important part of the motion was “commit to bringing forward legislation before the end of the current Assembly mandate to ban conversion therapy in all its forms.”

This Assembly mandate ends in April 2022, before we have an election in May 2022, and after that election the Ministerial positions will be allocated based on the amount of seats each party has won, so there is a potential that we could then have a DUP Minister who will refuse to legislate for a ban.

Going forward the Ban Conversion Therapy NI coalition are going to be lobbying the Minister for Communities, the responsibility is with her to legislate, the Assembly have voted overwhelming in favour, and we have the potential to lead on banning this practice.

It’s been great to see this campaign grow from a grassroots campaign to the top of the political agenda, and we’ve received so much support from the public and politicians, conversion therapy was barely mentioned a year or two ago, largely due to the fact that we had no government in NI for three years, but in the past 18 months the support and the public discussion has grown significantly.

You can continue to follow and support our campaign on Twitter @BanConversionNI, and on Facebook and Instagram just search Ban Conversion Therapy Northern Ireland.

This is an opinion piece from the columnist/contributor and not the opinion of GNI MAG / Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd.

TWENTY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // SHAED

SHAED We had the pleasure of interviewing Chelsea Lee, Spencer and Max otherwise known as SHAED. This Indie-pop band have amassed a whopping 2 Billion Streams worldwide and are swiftly making a global name for themselves. We get to know more about them and what 2021 has planned, singles, debut album and so much more.

TWENTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // SHAED

SO, ANYONE THAT ISN’T FAMILIAR SHAED IS SOMEWHAT OF A FAMILY AFFAIR WITH CHELSEA LEE AND SPENCER BEING MARRIED AND SPENCER AND MAX TWIN BROTHERS, TAKE OUR AUDIENCE BACK TO WHEN YOU FORMED ALMOST A DECADE AGO, HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? Chelsea Lee: I met these guys when I was 15. And we've kind of been inseparable ever since. They welcomed me with open arms and we've just kind of been, you know, we're always together. It's actually a surprise that Max is at his house, you know.

He's generally here. But yeah, we met when I was 15. We started playing music together probably five, six years ago. And yeah, so Max is my best friend. And so is Spencer, but Spencer is also my husband.

So yeah, it's been really great.

THE ONGOING ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT WE WILL GET OUT OF THE WAY IS OUR FRIEND COVID, HOW HAS THE PAST YEAR BEEN FOR YOU PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? DID YOU SINK OR SWIM? Spencer: Yeah, I'm gonna say a little bit of both. You know, we were ready to go on like, a crazy, pretty much world... I mean, we were gonna do Europe, and Australia, and all these shows, and those were all cancelled. And we'd been touring for about two years. So, to go from playing shows every week, to no shows for an entire year and a half. It's definitely a shock to the system. But we used this time to write an entire album. And so, in that sense, we're very grateful for this break, where we also produce everything, we write everything together. So luckily, we were able to just record, writing everything from home, in our little home studio. So yeah, I think it was a bit of a sink and swim.

I READ THAT THE 3 OF YOU LIVE TOGETHER, IS THIS COVID RELATED? Chelsea Lee: So, right before the pandemic, we moved to separate houses.

But we previously have lived together for three years, in a really small house in Maryland. And then we moved right before the pandemic hit. And that actually was really great, because it just gave us something to do. You know, get our homes ready. But Max is so close. And he's always over anyways. He might as well live here, honestly.

ARE YOU CONSTANTLY CREATING/ REHEARSING AT HOME OR IS HOME AND WORK KEPT SEPARATE SO TO SPEAK? Spencer: We do. There's a small window between like 7am and 8am, where Chelsea and I work. Max sleeps in a little later than us. So we get to get up, and we have about an hour every morning to go for a walk around the neighborhood. And, you know, make some breakfast together, make some French press coffee. That kind of thing. And then after that, it's pretty much work, you know...

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEAR FACTS LIKE YOUR MUSIC HAS SURPASSED 2 BILLION STREAMS? Chelsea Lee: It's definitely crazy, for sure.

That song kind of changed our lives. So we had a crazy 2018 just playing those. We got to do more travel. We got to go to Japan.

We got to go to Europe. So, it's just been so incredible.

HOW DID THE COLLABORATION WITH ZAYN COME ABOUT AND DID YOU GET TO MEET ZAYN, WONDERING WHAT HE WAS LIKE? Max: We were thinking about who we want as a feature on the song, and we thought of Zayn now as like a total pipe dream.

We’re big fans of his voice. And yeah, we just kind of threw it out there. We were doing a late night TV, and it was a long night so the best morning, I slept in. I woke up a little later than Chelsea and Spencer.

So I woke up to the sound of Zayn singing 'Trampoline' acapella. And Spencer was

already up in the living room, listening to the vocal. So, it was such a shock. He just kind of showed up in our inbox one day.

And then within 24 hours, we'd finished the new version and sent it off to Spotify and everything. And got it out there. So it's very cool.

YOU GOT TO PERFORM AT MARGOT ROBBIE’S CHANEL FRAGRANCE LAUNCH, TELL US ABOUT THE NIGHT. DO YOU GET AWE STRUCK IN A ROOM WITH A LISTERS? Max: We're big fans of Haim, as well. So, they were there. And I mean, they were a big influence on us. Like, you know, when we were transitioning from the kind of folk music we were doing, into this kind of more electronic hybrid today. And we got to meet them and hang with them, which was also really rad.

NOW ON TO OSAKA, YOUR NEW SINGLE, WHICH IS AWESOME BY THE WAY, IS OUT NOW, THE INSPIRATION FOR IT CAME FROM YOUR TOUR IN JAPAN A FEW YEARS AGO. WAS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME IN JAPAN? AND TELL US WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT THE PLACE AND PEOPLE? Chelsea Lee: That was our first time being in Japan, and we had heard amazing things about it, but definitely nothing could have prepared us for the incredible trip we had. It was just so much fun. The food was incredible. I mean, we're just eating the most amazing food. Oh... we were there for two weeks too, so we really got to explore different places, which was so cool, and everything was just beautiful. It was so hot.

It was like 95 degrees every day, and supersuper-humid, but we just had an absolute blast. I love Japan. I would go back in an instant.

TODAY EXACTLY 1 MONTH TODAY UNTIL THE RELEASE OF HIGH DIVE, ITS SO EXCITING...

Chelsea Lee: It cannot come quick enough,

TWENTY FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // SHAED

for sure. This is our debut album. So I think that a lot of people have been waiting for this, from us. And you know, we really have a body of work that we absolutely love and it's super-special to us, so we can't wait for people to hear it. We're really excited.

IT IS PACKED WITH GREAT TRACKS, TELL US YOUR OWN PERSONAL FAVOURITE SONG? Max: There's a song called 'Colorful' on the album, that is special to me, and Spencer and Chelsea. The lyrics are about my coming out experience to them.

Spencer and Chelsea were the first people that I came out to. And so that experience kind of really brought us all a lot closer together. And so, the lyrics are kind of about, similar to 'Visible Woman,' in finding confidence in yourself. And having the courage to step into this new chapter of your life, where you're living truthfully.

And embracing what makes you different.

So, I’m excited about that song. And another thing about it too, is that we've been talking to this amazing nonprofit in DC, called Capital Pride. And they, in normal years, put on huge Pride parades in DC. And, obviously, this year, because of COVID, they're not going to be able to do that. We're kind of working on this project together, where we can do something very special around the song. And hopefully it will launch a new fund, that's gonna help the people in DC. MAX IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE YOU CAME OUT, CAN YOU BRIEFLY TELL US HOW IT WAS FOR YOU, DID IT CAUSE ANY RIFTS WITH YOUR BROTHER AND FAMILY, OR DID IT JUST MAKE YOUR RELATIONSHIP STRONGER AND BETTER? AND CAN YOU TELL ME IF YOU THINK SOCIETY IN YOUR OPINION HAS PROGRESSED IN RECENT YEARS? Max: Definitely, the latter. I mean, the craziest thing was that Spencer didn't know. No one had any idea. I guess I hid it very well. I went to like a Catholic all-boys

TWENTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

high school where there was nobody in the school who was out for, oh, four years.

There definitely were other gay kids in the class, but just the environment was that it wasn’t something people really talked about, including in the community we grew up in. But my parents are both very, incredibly supportive. Super-liberal.

things are slowly but surely opening. So, we would love to travel and get back on the road. It's like our favourite thing to do.

So, fingers crossed.

WE HEARD YOU HAVE A PRIDE PROJECT IN JUNE; CAN YOU TELL US ANYMORE ABOUT THAT?

...I think it was more just the internal worrying about how people would react... also music at an early age too: I felt some kind of pressure to stay in the closet, for some reason. We didn’t have Sam Smith or Troye Sivan out there. You know, it was, kind of, a different time, times are changing.

So I was accepted with open arms from Spencer and Chelsea, and my whole family. I think it was more just the internal worrying about how people would react.

I felt some kind of pressure to stay in the closet, for some reason. We didn't have Sam Smith or Troye Sivan out there. You know, it was, kind of, a different time, times are changing.

YOU HAVE A FEW TOUR DATES ALREADY PLANNED FOR CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, AUSTRIA, VEGAS TOUR, ANY PLANS FOR THE UK/IRELAND? Chelsea Lee: We would love to. I mean, honestly, we're just kind of pointing out to see what comes our way, just because

Max: Well, I don't think there's going to be an actual physical event, like a Pride in DC in June. There's talks of postponing, and then doing something special in the fall. But I think it's going to be more about raising funds for people in need. And using this song, using 'Colourful', as an anthem, the soundtrack. So, it's exciting.

YOU HAVE SO MUCH IN THE PIPELINE ALREADY, WHAT’S NEXT ON THE AGENDA?

Max: I think the album for us is really just the culmination of 10 years of knowing each other, and finally having the opportunity to really sit down and write a full album together. So, for me, in my sight, I feel like once that's out, then we can recalibrate, and think about what's next. But we're still in the thick of making another music video, a couple of music videos for the album, and trying to get remixes and all. So, it's still like very much an album cycle. So, it's kind of hard to have one thing above anything else, right now.

Spencer: Yeah. I'll say that we are very excited for live shows, and we want to put on an incredible live show when we come back. So, shout out to our friend Andrew Marshall actually is here now. Incredible drummer, and he's helped us design this really sick live drum rig. That's going to be

INTERVIEW // SHAED

a big part of our show.

WE MUST TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH TEEN LINE, WE HEARD YOU PLAN TO DONATE A PORTION OF YOUR PROCEEDS TO THEM, FOR ANYONE NOT FAMILIAR CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO AND HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED? Chelsea Lee: Yeah, absolutely. So, this past single that we just released, Part Time Psycho, we really wanted to partner with a mental health organisation. Just because that song is so much about how this pandemic has made us all feel manic, and

anxious, and depressed. So, we partnered with Teen Line, which is, basically, an organisation where teens, if they're feeling suicidal, or need to talk to someone, they can call Teen Line, and another teen, a trained teen, would be there, to answer the call and talk through. So, it's a peer-topeer. They can talk to peers, and it's just so much easier, potentially, than talking to an adult. And so, they're a really incredible organisation that does really, really great work. And so, we wanted to make sure that we were raising some funds to support them and yeah, they've been really amazing.

THAT’S AMAZING, THANKS SO MUCH

FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH ME, BEST OF LUCK WITH THE ALBUM AND HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE U.K SOON Album High Dive is released and available from 14th May.

TWENTY SEVEN // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // HARRY MCGARRITY

TWENTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // HARRY MCGARRITY

HARRY McGARRITY Harry McGarrity, this local hottie is not only talented but is the typical guy next door who deals with the same issues we all do, we chat about how he deals with mental health, his love for performing, rising music career, what 2021 has in store and so much more!

TELL OUR READERS MORE ABOUT YOU, AGE, WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? Well, I’m 20 years old, I grew up and still currently live in Bangor, which is nice in some parts like the beach, but I can feel myself becoming attracted to Belfast and on the look for apartments in the area.

IS MUSIC/PERFORMING SOMETHING YOU ASSOCIATE WITH FAMILY? DID THE INTEREST COME FROM PARENTS OR ANYTHING? Music was always a massive part of my family, my dad has a record collection that would put old record companies to shame, I would spend hours, peeling them out of their case, admiring the artwork, experiencing the time and effort gone into it, it’s a lost art but I can see it coming back My dad was also a singer in the 80’s performing in bars like the Limelight, Duke of York. He mostly did his own material, which I think is pretty fantastic and I’m looking to record some of his stuff and release it sometime soon.

HOW LONG HAVE PERFORMING?

YOU

BEEN

I’ve been performing since I could walk and talk, my Dad often quotes my grandad, he would watch me perform songs I had made up in front of the TV when I was only 4 years old, he was probably messing around when he said this, but he came out with “Mark my words, that kid will be on the stage someday”. Performing professionally however, that would be just under 6 years.

IF YOU COULD WORK WITH ANYONE DEAD OR ALIVE WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal because I had so much momentum and with every gig there was the same amount of energy and passion no matter the crowd, whether it be 5 people or 500 people. My greatest achievement would be performing at the Irish Pharmacy awards in Dublin to a crowd of 1000 people, I can’t wait to be back at it.

YOU SHARED YOU’RE THE FIRST SONG YOU PENNED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, HAVE YOU LEARNED MUCH IN THIS SHORT TIME ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS?

I’d work with anybody though has to be Elvis, they say never meet your heroes but I don’t care, I would want to work with him, his ability to hold a crowd without even saying a word, his unapologetic manner towards life, his effortless charisma and of course, he vocals, in short, I would work with Elvis.

My writing process has been a strange one, it all started in the first lockdown last year, I had more time than I knew what to do with so I started writing, then some more, after a while I struggled to stop, ideals would come flooding in and it became addictive, anything would inspire me, it taught me to always be aware of things, be present and in the moment, you never know what may bloom from the simplest of experiences.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE?

WHEN COVID HIT LAST YEAR, THE WORLD LITERALLY CHANGED

TWENTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // HARRY MCGARRITY

OVERNIGHT, HOW HAVE THE PAST 12 MONTHS BEEN FOR YOU PERSONALLY? HAVE YOU TAKEN UP ANY NEW HOBBIES? The last 12 months for everyone have been strange, good but strange, I’ve really come to grips with myself, one thing you’ll learn when spending so much time with yourself, you begin to get to know yourself, may sound strange but when you’re caught up in daily life whether it be a 9-5 job or nightshift, you forget to check in with yourself and ask the question “how am I today?”.

My writing really took off, it’s something I’ve never really explored but always felt I had something to say, so it’s been a wonderful experience and one that I hope will take me further ANYONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW, YOU RECODED SONGS FOR THOSE WHO COULDN’T GET MARRIED, WAS THIS YOUR OWN IDEA OR DID SOMEONE ASK YOU THEN THE IDEA TOOK OFF? This was my ideal, all mine! Haha without

THIRTY // GNIMAG.COM

sounding too cocky. You know what, it’s been a tough year, especially for couples getting married and as most of my work would be weddings, I saw this first hand.

I was chatting with a lovely girl who was due to be married late last august and she had told me how much money she had lost, how she might not even be able to have her wedding due to the money lost and I just felt awful for her, so that’s where the idea stemmed, I asked her what her wedding dance song was and I said I’ll send her a full video and track of me singing it so she has something to dance to on what would have been her big day.

LAST YEAR YOU WERE VOCAL ABOUT YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH, ARE YOU IN A BETTER PLACE TODAY? HOW DO YOU MANAGE DAY TO DAY? Mental health is one of those things, everyone knows about, but nobody really understands or talks about… I do struggle, I won’t lie, not in a massive way but its every day. I have the ability to smile like putting on a show by playing a role but at the end of the day, the show

comes to a close and that’s when the truth comes out, and the thoughts build, its completely manageable but the thoughts are there, and I firmly believe I’m not alone. So many people feel this way, if they know they are loved and cared for then that’s what truly matters.

YOU TRY TO DO YOUR BIT FOR CHARITIES, DOES THIS SPAWN FROM YOUR OWN STRUGGLES? I believe charities are wonderful, it’s quite hard to imagine a group of people who offer help and support to those in need, and don’t want any money in return, these are beautiful people, and they need to be recognised and supported. I support because of my own struggles but also to give back, every day you need to be doing things for others, I always say “Where there is Love there is also Love” meaning if you give everything you have to others, they reciprocate, where there is love in you there will be love in others.

ON THE SUBJECT LAST YEAR, YOU HAD A CONCERT PLANNED IN THE EUROPE, LIKE SO MANY THINGS IT

INTERVIEW // HARRY MCGARRITY

WAS CANCELLED DUE TO COVID, ARE THERE ANY PLANS AFOOT TO DO IT LATER THIS YEAR? The Europa Gig, a sore spot for me… a YEAR in planning, lots of money spent, lots of practice, lots of fall outs so to answer your question Daniel, the show will happen, and it is going to blow everyone away. We’re looking at November which should give us the COVID CLEAR and allow peace of mind for those attending.

SINCE DECEMBER YOU HAVE RELEASED 2 SONGS AND FAB VIDEOS, 1ST WAS I BELIEVE IN CHRISTMAS, AND RECENTLY BABY COME BACK, DO YOU ENJOY THE VIDEO MAKING PROCESS? ARE YOU COMFORTABLE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA ETC? I love making videos, everything about them, the planning, the story, the mood and of course performing. People like to picture certain songs in their head, but music videos are wonderful because it allows the listener to experience how the writer sees the song and that’s what I’ve tried to capture in my videos. I also have a wonderful team behind me who help with this process, Ross Bickerstaff my Manager who pushes me beyond any limit I set for myself and Peter Johnston the beautiful man who doesn’t get to be on camera because he’s the one holding it.

HOW CAN OUR READERS SUPPORT AND HEAR YOUR MUSIC, ARE YOU ON FB, INSTA, SPOTIFY ETC? Everyone can hear my music on Spotify, Apple music and all major streaming platforms, if you want to stare at my ugly mug for 3 mins my videos are on YouTube and if you want regular updates or just want to hear me talk rubbish and try to be a motivational guru, you can find me on insta and fb, please feel free to give me a shout, unless you’re going to slabber, I get enough of that from my ex’s…

RESTRICTIONS

ARE

STARTING

TO

MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS, EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT, BUT NOBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS OR TALKS ABOUT… I DO STRUGGLE, I WON’T LIE, NOT IN A MASSIVE WAY BUT ITS EVERY DAY.

harder than I have ever in the past, I want everyone hearing my music, feeling the same emotions I have when I pour my heart onto a page and I want them to LOVE every second of it because I know I sure will.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Soon we’ll be launching “Baby Come Back” merchandise, we’ve got a range of items, hoodies, t shirts and facemasks.

We are looking at pushing the show until November, be sure to check my insta and fb Page for updates. Other than that, just keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, it’s gonna be fun…

Thank you, Daniel, I really enjoyed that, and I very much appreciate you approaching me and offering me this opportunity.

INTERVIEW BY DANIEL MAY

EASE, WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? Gigging, 100%, I want to be out performing to the masses of people who haven’t heard live music in 8 months. I can’t wait to feel that electric buzz, the atmosphere when you know the crowd is following your every move, and are with the in the emotions, the feelings and making beautiful memories, also making a bit of money again would be nice, I’ve forgot how much a boojum is…

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE YOU PLANNING AN ALBUM OR ANYTHING?

Very good question, I wish I knew. I’m writing all the time so an album is for definite, some sad songs, some happy ones, some your granny will like some she’ll disown you if you ever play them again. What I can guarantee Is that I am going to work HARD, I’m going to work

THIRTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // SCOTT MCGLYNN

SCOTT // McGLYNN

BY HAYLEY SMITH YOU HAVE COME SO FAR IN YOUR CAREER, AND HAVE ACHIEVED SO MUCH. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE? I have to say everything I have done.

I just fully enjoy it all, from acting, skincare, life on Instagram to charity work. I always remember the highlights from everything I have done, and I’m just very grateful for all the opportunities that I have been given. If I had to choose, I would have to say launching my Instagram IGTV series Celebrity Skin Talk & Acting for sure!

YOU OFTEN TALK ABOUT BEING BULLIED IN SCHOOL FOR BEING GAY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE EXPERIENCES, AND HOW YOU GO THROUGH IT? WHERE DID YOU FIND YOUR STRENGTH? I’m a big believer in speaking out and sharing your life experience. It was a very tough time of my life. If you would have told me 20 years ago that I would have a chart topping podcast, and be on camera I wouldn’t believe you! I had zero confidence, and it wasn’t until my early 20’s I started to find my confidence again. I came out talking about my experience through my book and it was the best thing I have ever done. It’s helped lots of LGBTQ+ people over the years, and that’s amazing, and gives me the power to keep going and continue to do what I’m doing.

YOU WROTE YOUR MEMOIR OUT IN 2016, ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THEM, AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE GOING THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS YOU RIGHT NOW? I always tell anyone struggling with their sexuality to talk about how you’re feeling. There are so many amazing charities out there now to support and help you. I wish I had them available when I was in school in the early 00’s!

THIRTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

All I would say is ‘you’re amazing, and you aren’t alone, and don’t change for anyone!’

YOU’VE RECENTLY JOINED PRIDE 365 AS A CHAMPION, CHAMPIONING FOR LGBTQ+ INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU? AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LGBTQ+ INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE? I started my first proper full time job at 16, and there wasn’t any LGBTQ+ inclusion in place in workplaces. I was bullied by the staff for how I was and how I sounded, and even the managers chimed in. It’s crazy to say this now in 2021 but it continues to happen! Representation is a huge factor in acceptance, and working with Pride 365 is very important on a personal level for me, No-one should go to work and feel bullied, singled out or anyway be treated differently to anyone else because they are LGBTQ+ ACTIVISM IS VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART. DO YOU FEEL THAT LGBTQ+ EDUCATION NEEDS TO START IN SCHOOLS, TO HELP TACKLE CURRENT ISSUES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY? WHY OR WHY NOT IS IT IMPORTANT? It should play a huge part in schools. This is where children learn, and grow and are given the tools to become a young adult.

So its hugely important to be learning about LGBTQ+ education, and even sex education, and it should be taught to everyone. I love Olly Pikes’ books for kids, as they teach about LGBTQ+ in an educating and fun way from a young age.

YOU HAVE OVER 200,000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU, THAT YOU HAVE BUILT UP SUCH A STRONG COMMUNITY? AND ANY TOP TIPS FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO GROW THEIR FOLLOWING? Sometimes I’m in shock that I have this many followers. For me it’s just about having fun, doing what I love and being passionate about it. It’s not about a number for me. I just have fun with it. I love sharing my skin care shows, talking about men with skincare

problems, it just comes naturally to me. So I made a skin talk show online for everyone to see - why not! Anyone wanting to start out, I say be authentic, share what you want to share, and what you love and be creative.

My 13 year old niece is currently teaching me TikTok - I’m useless on there so I don’t have all the answers ha!

YOU USE YOUR PLATFORM FOR ACTIVISM, AND PROMOTING ISSUES AND CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. YOU HAVE RECENTLY DONE AN IG LIVE WITH NATHANIEL HALL FROM IT’S A SIN. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION AND THE TALKING POINTS? Yes I love Nathaniel and what he stands for, I think he is just amazing, and so brave.

On our IG live we spoke about coming out, acting, HIV and skincare. It’s a regular show, that lets me talk about all things with my friends - I just do it in the public eye, to an audience, and that’s half the fun! Having Nathaniel and RuPauls SisterSister on recently has made me think of a new IGTV show online, which I can’t wait to share with people very soon!!

IT’S A SIN HAS BEEN A PIVOTAL MEDIA MOMENT THIS YEAR. HOW IMPORTANT HAS THIS SHOW BEEN FOR YOU, AND WHY DO YOU THINK IT HAS HAD SUCH AN IMPACT? The main thing for me was sharing how it was for LGBTQ+ community back in the 80s, and what we went through, which the younger generation don’t really know about - this should be a history topic in schools for sure! The show was done beautifully and I messaged Russell T Davies just after I watched it and just said THANK YOU for bringing it to our screens. It touched so many people of all ages and backgrounds.

After watching it I called my mum and asked her what it was like at the time she was living in London. It’s been nice to be open and talk to my mum about it, I enjoyed her story and she’s had gay friends all her life.

INTERVIEW // SCOTT MCGLYNN

WE HEAR THAT YOU’RE TURNING YOUR INTERESTS TO ACTING. HOW’S THAT GOING? DIDN’T YOU RECENTLY FINISHED FILMING FOR SEX EDUCATION AND CASUALTY ?

You know acting has always been in my life, I love the industry, and being in front of the camera as well as behind the scenes - it’s so interesting! Yes I got casted for Sex Education 3 then a week later I was shooting a film then got asked to do 3 days on Casualty which was incredible! What I love is how I can be someone one day and someone completely different the next, I have just been cast for a new indie film which is exciting. I don’t waste opportunities when things come my way, I just go for it, and that’s what’s exciting. I love receiving a script and learning about someone else’s life and background and then delivering it.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOU AND YOUR WORK? For me I haven’t stopped. I don’t sit around do nothing, and am one to keep going, and being creative.

I made 2 shows in lockdown which have taken off, which is amazing!

And I have been doing online auditions, zoom call table readings and virtual events. It’s all still very much active, things have just been online rather than in person. I love being busy and I get up early every morning and get work done.

I don’t waste time sitting around doing nothing. The one thing this pandemic has taught me is not to waste my time, or my days, and always try to do something new, and continue learning.

THIRTY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

OPINION // CARL CONNIELILNGUS

TRASH HITS & BITS WITH CARL CONNIELINGUS HEY

BEAUTS!!

HOW’S

TRICKS

YOUR END?? I HOPE YOU’RE

LIFE & LOVE - CHAPTER THREE - A QUEER LOVE STORY

ALL WELL AND HANGING IN THERE AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE ALMOST THERE .

I HAVE TO SAY FOR THE 1ST TIME IN A LONG TIME I HAVE HAD A LOVELY WEE STREAK OF BLESSINGS AND HAPPINESS, ALL OF WHICH I’LL FILL YOU IN ON AS WE GO. AND I ALSO HAVE A CUTE LITTLE SURPRISE FOR YOU GUYS..SO KEEP YOUR EYES PAWED, I MEAN PEELED HEHE .

A more recent update of our wee Love Story.

So much has happened this past 3 months and honestly when you know something’s meant to be, you just know!! Hayley and I have had so many amazing opportunities come our way for the rest of 2021 even 2022, and our determination to get our shit together is really starting to pay off. Between upcoming videos and photoshoots, auditions and dance rehearsals, it’s been crazy busy but everything we have been asking for.

We were recently lucky to be gifted a few days of paid decorating from my wee Mummy in our apartment to freshen our surroundings, and then in turn, our minds!! Also a big thank you to my wee Bestie Laura McClelland, who is starting her own Painting & Decorating business and done an amazing job for us. If anyone is looking a good job done by another amazing member of the LGBTQ+ Community then get booking her.

I couldn’t have done anything without Hayley this past few weeks, even though we’re absolutely exhausted and for good reason. With all these blessings comes a very content placement in our relationship, and the flow feels so good..please Universe, long may this continue. Being unconditionally in love has never felt so good.

FUN FACT My Name: So for most people they have one, at most 2 legal surnames in their lifetime right? Oh no, not me. I have to go and have 3, about to be 4..but wait though, hear me out lol

BACK TO SCHOOL FINALLY HAHA..As of April 12th most Schools, College’s and Universities all started their classes on Campus, including Hayley and myself and I am absolutely delighted.

To actually have a bit of a routine and get back to training means everything, cause let’s face it; this Virus, these Lockdowns and the continued uncertainty would drive the sanest INSANE!! A massive congrats to all of the Teachers/ Tutors, Parents, Guardian’s and EVERY Student that done at home and remote learning during this difficult time as it has not been an easy ride..GO US

THIRTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

When I was born I gained my Mother’s Maiden Name, as she was a single teenage Mummy in the early 80’s (SCORNED LOL), which I had until I was 10. At 11 our Heather got married and I then inherited an “adopted” name that I continued to use until I got married in 2006 and even though I have been divorced for what seems like a million years, I have continued to use said name out of pure laziness and its about time really lol.

The time has finally come to have my own name and identity that I chose to represent my birth name and that says a little about me. I will be changing my name by deed poll to confirm this by using my names Claire Jessica and the fact that I was born in June (Summertime).

I proudly introduce myself to you as CJ Summer!!

Hey there.

OPINION // CARL CONNIELINGUS

WHEN THE WORLD STARTS UP AGAIN I don’t know about you guys but as excited as I am for the world to get going again, I am nervous AF. A whole year of very little contact with others, lack of traffic (both vehicle and pedestrian), non populated areas inside and outside and lack of socialisation has my anxiety hitting the roof lol I feel like I might have even forgotten how to be social anymore. Anyone else feeling like this?? What is going to be your POA going forward?? And how different do you think our new “normal” is gonna be??

Personally I feel like things will never be the same ever again, even in the smallest of ways and although some things might

filter back in, I feel like more people than ever have a feeling of getting rid of old and outdated values and morals and updating to a more modern, open minded and diverse way of thinking, even living and I am here for it. Quotes like; “YOLO”, “always be prepared”, “life is too short”, “we can live better”, “be kind” and “LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST” all seem to be the most popular and I stand by most of these sayings because they’re all true and you never know what hand you’re going to be dealt. It’s definitely how you deal and handle these situations that are the trick lol Crazy to think that before this Pandemic

and meeting Hayley I tried to commit suicide on a few occasions but something has kept me here, because I have a bigger purpose in life and I know that now. So guys if you’re low, depressed or suicidal, seek help or speak to someone you can trust. My email will be in the Outro if anyone ever wants to chat to me about their mental health or get some advice on getting back into the world again, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m going at this blind too, so let’s guide each other because I promise you there is light at the end of the tunnel. From, a survivor.

PURRFECT

OUTRO

Guys meet Spike!! Our beautiful new little fur baby that came to us almost 3 weeks ago and it’s like he's always been here. We rehoused him from a friend and we couldn’t be happier with this little dude!! Xander & Willow definitely needed a minute and they absolutely adore him now. But here, his attitude is that of a diva and I have the teeny, albeit painful scratches to prove it haha WE ADORE HIM

LIFE’S FUNNY MUSIC & MOVIES

One time, when I was about 18/19, I was at my weekend local. Back then it was between 4 places; The Ballysillan Arms, The Rangers, Dempsey’s and Paradise Lost haha anyone remember them??

Usually I write about all the stuff we have watched but with being so busy lately there’s not been a lot time to watch much, but I will Well, this particular event happened in The say that having “Death becomes her” on Rangers when a friend and I danced so hard that Netflix is the best thing ever. So our watch list will include this and the new movie Thunder he jumped on my foot and fractured my big toe Force, with Melissa McCarthy and Octavia lol he was wearing steel toe capped caterpillar Spencer..so excited to watch this. boots (fashion choices lol) and I was wearing Now the one constant obsession we watch strappy heels..problem was it didn’t really affect whenever we literally have any time at all is the me until the next day when I’d to go to work. competition series Ink Master. There are 13 Not only did I wake up slightly (very) hungover, Seasons and of course we started from Season 1 but as I tried to “get up” for the day my sore toe and are currently at the end of Season 5..but the gave in and had me face planting the floor. I did obsession is rivalled alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race end up in A&E later that day and couldn’t dance and that applies here. It’s so dramatic and addictive, for a fortnight..yet another hilarious but painful check it out on Amazon Prime. memory HAHA

And before I know it I’m at my Outro and have to say see ya next time beauts, but first I want to give a special shout out to my Mummy and Auntie Justine who have both came together to help me out recently and I honestly couldn’t be more appreciative and grateful for their help. It doesn’t just help me but Hayley also and we just wanna say thank you.

If any of you need a chat about mental health, advise or even Drag then please feel free to contact me on email at carlconnielingus@gmail. com. Alternatively you can catch me Facebook at www.facebook. com/carlconnielingus, Instagram @ carlconnie_lingus and TikTok @ cjsummer1.

I wish everyone the best of luck in the next few months, please continue to respect others and stay kind. We have totally got this guys.

Chat to you all soon ya’s balloons.

Love & Light, Carl ConnieLingus

This is an opinion piece from the columnist/ contributor and not the opinion of GNI MAG / Romeo & Julian Publications Ltd.

THIRTY FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

PHOTO CREDIT: BENJY BRADSHAW

FEATURE // X-MTV

THIRTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // X-MTV

X-MTV POP ARTISTS ARE BARING MORE THAN SOULS IN PANDEMIC-ERA MUSIC VIDEOS. THEY’RE BARING THEIR BODIES TOO.

BY CONNOR DAVENPORT

“We’re gay, being frisky is in our DNA,” declares out artist Jack Tracy. His new single, “The Feels,” drips with passion. It details a relationship that is being held together by the one thing that still works in it: the incredible sex. The accompanying music video unabashedly depicts the song’s main theme. It includes a nude Jack Tracy in the most explicit sex scenes he has ever filmed.

“There was no hesitation in dropping trough for the music video,” he reveals.

“I’ve never shied away from using sexuality to make a broader point or tell a story.” As a matter of fact, Tracy’s currently planning the video for his next song and its nudity will go one step further. Everyone involved in the video will be showing skin! “We are going to be tackling the issue of toxic masculinity and portraying a lot of different body types, races and people all along the gender spectrum,” he explains.

There is no denying that nudity is a trend in music videos today, especially among female artists. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s WAP video featured over the top sexuality and the two artists have owned every bit of it, taking a “if you don’t like it, you can kiss my ass” attitude against naysayers.

Out artist Colton Ford can relate. He received online criticism for the explicit edit of his “Stay” video. “There are the haters out there and there will always be, but I feel that reflects on them and not on me. I know who I am. I love who I am. I know what I do best, and I’m doing what I feel and what I want and no one can take that away from me.”

“I am an artist and an exhibitionist,” Ford continues. “I enjoy taking chances and pursuing my dreams. I think any artist that embraces his or her sexuality should be applauded, especially if they’re doing it organically and not simply as a tool to grab attention.”

His being close to sixty isn’t stopping him.

In fact, it gives his choice to bare all even more significance. “With my being 58, the page has taken on a different energy. Like we don’t have to subscribe anymore to the notion that once you turn 50 you have to stop enjoying your life and sexuality. Trust me when I say that after this long, isolating year, daddies like me are just as pent up with sexual energy as the rest of ya’ll!”

Follow on Jack Tracy and Colton Ford on Instagram @ jacktracyofficial and @ therealcoltonford.

Colton Ford has fully embraced his sexuality since 2002, when he first gained stardom as an adult film model with Colt Studio. It’s how he’s been packaging himself ever since but he credits the pandemic for drawing more attention to it.

“The isolation we experienced amped up the online experience,” he reflects. “All of a sudden, guys couldn’t hook up and express themselves the way they were used to, so watching it online became the next best thing as it was a safer substitute.”

It’s why he decided to launch his very own OnlyFans page with the release of “Stay”.

“I didn’t anticipate moving in this direction, but it’s a new day and I view OnlyFans as a way to blend my erotic and music brands,” he explains.

PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN HOOVER

The CDC reports three key impacts on gay men that have resulted from the COVID pandemic: increased rates of depression, substance abuse and, you guessed it, horniness.

THIRTY FORTY SEVEN FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

We urgently need foster carers

G3 yreaarscoled Apply now and receive; Full Training Financial Support Call 0800 0720 137 or visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net

JASON C This young man is making quite a storm in the modelling industry within Northern Ireland and has just had recently had the courage to come out.

PHOTO CREDIT: ALISTAIR PRENTICE

INTERVIEW // JASON C

THIRTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

INTERVIEW // JASON C

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP AND WHEN DID YOU FIRST ARRIVE TO NORTHERN IRELAND? I’m from the Philippines, I first arrived in Northern Ireland when I was eight years old.

I remember how the kids used to tease me as I looked and spoke different, I go back to visit the Philippines every couple of years to see family, go to the beach, have some Jollibee spaghetti lol but I don’t remember much about living there. When growing up I blended in, and now I still stand out, all for the right reasons lol.

TELL US ABOUT SCHOOL LIFE AND WHERE YOU STUDIED. I went to Longstone School in Dundonald then North Down Training College in Newtownards where I studied Catering, Art, Maths and English. I was bullied at times in both school and college, others would call me gay, faggot etc, at the time I was so young and unsure myself. Catering interested me as I wanted to learn how to really cook but then modelling came along which I am passionate about.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BELFAST? I love to go to Kremlin and whenever they play Ariana Grande or ‘Crazy in Love by Beyoncé, I’m straight up onto the stage to dance. Often random people will come up to ask me to dance with me and take pictures, I admit it makes me feel like a celebrity, though I guess I maybe stand out, not many Filipino’s rocking the Kremlin. I can’t wait until it opens again.

WHEN DID YOU COME OUT? AND HOW WAS IT RECEIVED BY YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS? I came out when I was around nineteen. Well, I didn’t come out exactly, I was pushed out, I had confided in a girl at college, she told a friend of my sister, who told my sister and then she asked me about it, if the rumours were true. Before I could answer, she started telling me how it was Ok, that she supports me no

FORTY // GNIMAG.COM

matter what. Perhaps she always sort of knew.

time, but my dad, he didn’t.

My mother also always knew I was gay. I don’t

WHAT ABOUT YOUR FATHER? HOW DID HE RECEIVE THE NEWS WAS HE’S SUPPORTIVE?

MY ADVICE IS NEVER LET ANYONE CHANGE YOU FOR WHO YOU WANT TO BE, STAND UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU BUT BE PREPARED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REACTIONS, EVERYONE MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME VIEW OR OPINION AS YOU DO THOUGH DON’T LET THAT STOP YOU BEING YOURSELF. know if my sister spoke to her about it, but she didn’t need to, and I never needed to tell her either. As a kid I was always especially crazy and funny, always making up dances and performing them for people, just being silly all the time. My mum understood for a long

All my mannerisms and behaviour as a child was Ok because I was a child. But when I got older and still had the same personality, it was less OK, and I could feel him starting to pressure me to be more like how he wanted me to be. Asking me if I had a girlfriend, stuff like that. I don’t think my sister told him, or my mum, they must have known how he would have reacted. I’m basically out to everyone except my dad.

It’s odd I have been with my boyfriend for years, living with him and my dad has met him, I’m not sure if he thinks we are just friends, but we never actually spoke about it.

I don’t know if we ever will, but I guess it’s fine the way it is.

HOW HAS COVID AND LOCKDOWN BEEN FOR YOU? Covid hasn’t been too bad, I was able to do some modelling work when restrictions allowed it, my regular job though stopped and started so much with all the changes.

Last year in June or July worked in my favour, as the city was quiet, I was able to do photoshoots in places that would normally be very crowded, though to be safe I always made sure I had hand sanitizer and I showered after photoshoots to keep myself and my family safe.

To pass the time I done work outs in the house, learned TikTok dances to entertain myself lol and like everyone binged allot on Netflix’s shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race.

I would also facetime my friends and family back home in the Philippines to see how they were all doing and if they were safe. It was a weird time and still is because nobody knows when we are all going to do back to normality.

TELL US OF WHAT PERSUADED YOU TO EMBARK ON A MODELLING CAREER

INTERVIEW // JASON C

AND WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS ARE?

that gay men can wear a brand clothes and represent the modelling industry.

My biggest supporters are my mum, sister and boyfriend, they have always been there to support me and have my back through everything.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG GAY MEN WISHING TO ENTERTAIN A CAREER IN THE MODELLING INDUSTRY WHO MAY BE PUT OFF BECAUSE OF FEAR OF PREJUDICE BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION?

HAVE YOU EVER PERSONALLY FELT JUDGEMENT WITHIN THE INDUSTRY?

PHOTO CREDIT: TEREZA DRAŠNAROVÁ

I haven’t felt judged in the industry because of my sexuality but when I started modelling, I didn’t think anyone would take me seriously enough, I do get judged for my height when applying for modelling agency. Overall though everyone I have met me in the industry has been supportive and embraced me for who I am.

I am very thankful that there are so many people willing to help and guide me on my journey becoming a better person and a better model.

My advice is never let anyone change you for who you want to be, stand up for what’s right for you but be prepared for different types of reactions, everyone may not have the same view or opinion as you do though don’t let that stop you being yourself.

Not all the journey is a happy, be brave, be strong and tell your story to the world where they can hear you and relate to you, you are not alone, young or old we all go through the same things. Don’t be afraid to speak and remember you don’t have to act in a certain way.

ARE YOU PURSUING MODELLING FULL TIME OR HAVE YOU A JOB ON THE SIDE?

Magazine, I was also featured in Attitude Magazine.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE CAREER PLANS?

I have a full-time job in the Hospitality and Catering at the Cloth Ear, I’ve been there 6 years now, modelling has been part time but would love to get into it professionally full time.

I’ve worked with Ash Khosla where we did 12 hours shoot in one day to help me build a portfolio, we created so many styles and looks, we done an outdoor shoot in Bangor and Belfast then and a studio shoot.

My dream is to be in the modelling industry full time and be able to travel to different countries to do fashion shows, commercial work and walk the runway with some of the biggest named models and designers out there.

WHO HAVE YOU WORKED FOR AND WITH?

I’ve been lucky to work with so many talented photographers, models and Makeup Artists.

I’d love to work for brands like Topshop, Remus Uomo and Ralph Lauren to name a few. I want to be able to share the message

My first break was with Liam Campbell we did a photoshoot and he published it to Elska

My goal is to be a successful model and show the world what I’ve got. I want the opportunity to bring my passion and diversity to the modelling industry.

FORTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // FLAGS

LESBIAN FLAG IS MOST POPULAR IN THE UK! FLAG MAKERS HAVE BEEN DOING some research on Google Search Trends to find out which LGBTQ+ flag is the most popular in the UK right now. The analysis gave them some insightful knowledge and showed that in fact the Lesbian flag is the most popular with 32,160 Google searches in the past year. They have a created a top 15 list of popular flags in the UK; including explaining each flag on their site!

Top 15 list Rank LGBTQ+ Flags 1 Lesbian Flag 2 Bisexual Flag 3 Asexual Flag 4 Pansexual Flag 5 Pride Flag 6 Straight Flag 7 Transgender Flag 8 Polyamorous Flag 9 Straight Ally Flag 10 Non-Binary Flag 11 Progress Flag 12 Gender Fluid Flag 13 Intersex Flag 14 Polysexual Flag 15 Pony Flag

Google Searches 32,160 26,832 25,824 22,596 21,216 20,592 19,236 13,308 12,708 12,168 11,976 10,524 8,928 7,632 6,540

FORTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

Wondering what each flag represents? Here’s Flagmakers’ guide to pride!

Lesbian Flag This flag features various shades of pink, white and red to represent women - the colours also represent the independence from men.

Bisexual Flag This flag was created to give further recognition to bisexual people within the LGBTQ+ community. The lovely thing about this flag is that the stereotypical colours for men (blue) and women (pink) overlapped together creating a purple.

Asexual Flag This flag acts as an emblem and identifier for people who have a lack of sexual attraction to all genders, the flag also incorporates the colour purple to represent the wider LGBTQ+ community and the place Asexual people have there. The black and grey stand for asexuality and demi-sexuality, whilst the white represents non-asexual partners and allies for the

FEATURE // FLAGS community.

Pansexuality Flag Pansexuality means an interest in all genders which is why there is a distinct yellow in the middle of this flag to represent non-binary and gender non-conforming people. The magenta stripe represents attraction to those who identify with a female spectrum, the cyan for those who identify on the male spectrum.

Pride Flag The most known LGBTQ+ flag known worldwide; this is the symbol used by pride parades and LGBTQ+ organisations to represent the history and achievements of the fight for equality. The rainbow design was inspired by Judy Garland’s ‘Over the Rainbow’ and each colour stands for a different component of LGBT life.

Straight Flag To celebrate heterosexualty, but what is key about this flag is that it is black and white to represent every person no matter the race.

Transgender Flag Both stripes at the bottom and the top are light blue to represent the traditional colour for baby boys along with the light pink stripes to represent baby girls. There is a white stripe in the middle for those who are intersex, transitioning or who consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender. What is interesting about the stripes on the flag is that no matter which way you hold the flag up, it is right.

Polyamorous Flag This flag features the symbol for the infinite number pi, which shares the first letter of ‘polyamory’. This flag celebrates the infinite selection of partners available to polyamorous people. The letter is gold to represent the emotional attachment we have with others as friends and romantic partners.

Straight Ally Flag This flag is a combination of various symbols, including the straight flag, the traditional rainbow pride flag. The merging of the two is meant to show allyship for the LGBTQ+ community.

to the binary. White is for those with many or all genders and black for those who do not conform to gender normative labels. The purple stripe represents those who identify as a mix of or somewhere between the male and female spectrum.

Progress Flag This flag shows support and solidarity with marginalised groups, even within the LGBTQ+ community, this design was adopted following a viral Kickstarter campaign. By adding the chevron to the traditional six-colour design, the designer wanted to highlight the further struggles of queer people of colour, those living with HIV/AIDS, and persons in the trans community.

Gender Fluid Flag The gender fluid flag features colours commonly associated with femininity, masculinity and everything in between. The pink stands for femininity, blue for masculinity, the white represents the lack of gender and the purple just like it’s featured on the bisexual flag represents the combination of both masulinity and femninity. Finally the black symbolises all genders.

Intersex Flag This flag purposely avoids the use of the traditional pink and blue to represent people who are born with a reproductive/sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definition of male or female. The yellow background stands for gender neutrality and the purple circle is depicted as unbroken and unornamented, symbolising wholeness and completeness.

Polysexual Flag Polysexuality is the attraction of multiple genders but not all of them, it is the middle ground between bisexualtiy and pansexuality; so it is centred more around attractions to femininity and masculinity rather than gender itself. The distinct green stripe in the middle of the flag represents an attraction to those who don’t conform to either gender.

Flag Makers: https://flagmakers.co.uk/blog/ resources/lgbtq-pride-flags-and-their-meanings/

Non-Binary flag The non-Binary flag was created to fly alongside the genderqueer flag with the hope to be more inclusive. It was designed as a symbol of pride and recognition for those whose gender identity does not fit within the traditional male/ female binary. The yellow stripe stands for those who fall outside of and without reference

FORTY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

fun

PUT

ON THE MENU @THEBIGLUNCHNI

A nd t h is y e a r th er e ' s m or e reaso ns t han e ve r to take pa r t.

B r i ng so me j oy t o y ou r c om muni ty .

S ay c he ers to v ol u n te er s , co nne ct w it h nei ghb our s and f ri en d s, fun drai se o r u s e lu n c h br e ak s fo r a ct s of ki ndne ss .

W e c an t wa i t t o h e ar wh a t you ge t up to.

Yo ur F ree p ac k is w ai ti n g for yo u a t ww w.t he big lunch. c om

YOU!

FASHION, BEAUTY, HEALTH & WELLBEING, TAKING TIME FOR YOU!

FEATURE // BAN CONVERSION THERAPY NI

BAN CONVERSION THERAPY NI COALITION URGES NORTHERN IRELAND POLICTIANS TO MAKE HISTORY AND BAN CONVERSION THERAPY OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, Northern Ireland has taken significant steps forward on LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual) equality. From equal marriage to protections in employment, more LGBTQIA+ people can be themselves than ever before. But discrimination and abuse remain an everyday reality for many LGBTQIA+ people at home, at work and in their cultural and spiritual communities – including through the harmful practice of ‘conversion therapy’.

Ban Conversion Therapy Northern Ireland is a coalition of LGBTQIA+ organisations and individuals working to deliver a meaningful and effective ban on ‘conversion therapy’ in Northern Ireland. The consortium includes The Rainbow Project, Stonewall, Northern Ireland Humanists, HERE NI, Cara -Friend, Transgender NI and Left Side Up (a progressive Christian organisation working at the intersections of faith shares with mental health, arts and community).

This Coalition was been launched at the start of April, ahead of the Ulster Unionist Party motion on Conversion Therapy due to be debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday 20th April 2021.

FORTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

Conversion therapy is defined as a practice which attempts to erase, repress, cure or change someone’s sexual orientation - or lack of - and/or gender identity. It can take many forms, including psychiatric, psychological, religious, and cultural interventions, and is extremely harmful to those who experience it, often causing lifelong mental health challenges.

Figures from the National LGBT Survey found that 7 per cent of LGBTQIA+ people have been offered or undergone conversion therapy, with trans respondents almost twice as likely to have been offered or undergone conversion therapy (13 per cent). Figures also found asexual people to be at a higher risk of being offered or undergoing conversion therapy (10 per cent).

Ban Conversion Therapy NI are lobbying the Northern Ireland Assembly to bring forward comprehensive proposals to end sexual orientation and gender identity conversion therapy practices in Northern Ireland. This must include a legislative ban that bans all conversion therapy practices across public and private spheres whether within healthcare, religious and cultural or traditional settings. It must protect everyone regardless of age or whether they were coerced or consented to the practice,

and must include a ban on the advertising and promotion of such practises.

As well as highlighting the need for a legislative ban, the coalition are also campaigning for specialist support for victims and survivors of conversion therapy. The coalition are encouraging everyone who believes in LGBTQIA+ equality to get involved with their efforts, asking them to email their MLA by visiting www.banconversiontherapy.com and share social media messages to highlight the need for an effective legal ban to LGBTQIA+ conversion therapy.

Northern Ireland Politicians have the chance to make history by being the first government on these islands to ban this harmful practice.

Comments from Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition members Dr Andrew Cunning, Director of Left Side Up and Theology Project Lead ‘Left Side Up calls on people of faith here in NI to oppose Conversation Therapy not in spite of their faith, but because of it. Any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender

FEATURE // BAN CONVERSION THERAPY NI identity is fundamentally unChristian, and people of faith ought to be taking a lead on an issue like this.’

John O’Doherty, Director of the Rainbow Project (he/him) “The Rainbow Project will always stand against conversion therapy in whatever guise it presents itself and wherever it is being promoted. All forms of conversion therapies are wrong, unethical and prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our community. These barbaric and torturous practices are still being inflicted on people in Northern Ireland today.

LGBTQIA+ people, including those of faith, are not broken. We call on LGBTQIA+ people, our friends and allies to join the campaign.”

Fergal McFerran, Northern Ireland Programme Manager, Stonewall (he/him) ‘LGBTQIA+ people don’t need to be ‘cured’ or change who we are, and there should be no place in our society for any so-called ‘interventions’ which seek to erase us. Now is the time for MLAs and Ministers in Northern Ireland to show leadership on LGBTQIA+ equality by becoming the first Government across these Islands to bring in a meaningful and effective ban on ‘conversion therapy’.

Steve Williamson, Director of Cara-Friend “As a charity which supports LGBTQIA+ people across NI, Cara-Friend have seen first-hand the emotional, mental, and physical damage that so-called conversion ‘therapy’ has on a person. Younger LGBTQIA+ people are

especially vulnerable to being pressured into this harmful, psuedo-medical practice. They do not ‘consent’, no one can consent to being abused, and we are aware of young LGBTQIA+ people who have lost their lives due to this deeply damaging ‘therapy’. Being LGBTQIA+ is natural, what is unnatural and dangerous is teaching people to reject an intrinsic part of themselves, in order to conform to the wishes of medieval religious homophobia.”

Cara McCann, Director of HereNI “Here NI supports lesbian and bisexual women from a variety of backgrounds including those who are parents and people of faith. We hope to send a message to LGBTQIA+ people of faith, and the community more broadly, that they are loved and welcomed in our society, and that sexual orientation is not something that one can be ’trained’ out of. Any acceptance of Conversion Therapy has a damaging impact not only on LGBTQIA+ people, many of whom are parents, but also on our children’s health and wellbeing as it suggests their parents need ‘cured’ in some way” Kathryn Kerr, LGBT Lead for Northern Ireland Humanists “The evidence is clear that all types of so-called “conversion therapy” are greatly detrimental to those subjected to them. The UK Government are aware of this, the UN has reiterated this time and time again, and we cannot wait any longer to ban this practice in all settings. People are put at harm while organisations practising “conversion therapy” enjoy charity status and

tax exemptions. This needs to end now, not when it is most convenient to our legislators.

We ask the Northern Ireland Assembly to act now to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society, including by making sure there are no loopholes for religious settings where most of these abhorrent practices occur.”

Alexa Moore, Director of TransgenderNI “TransgenderNI is proud to be a part of the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition NI. Trans communities are almost twice as likely than broader LGBTQI+ communities to go through or be offered conversion therapy - this isn’t just an issue affecting cis lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Our communities across NI deserve a full and comprehensive ban on this abhorrent practice.”

Micky Murray, an LGBTQIA+ activist whose recent public petition was presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly for a ban on conversion therapy.

“This is not a question of whether conversion therapy works or not, which it doesn’t. This is question of right and wrong - conversion therapy is barbaric, harmful, and wrong.

Conversion therapy costs lives. We need a full meaningful ban that protects victims and prevents any further harm.”

SHOPPING // THE COURTYARD

THE COURTYARD CARRICKFERGUS THE COURTYARD, CARRICKFERGUS IS AN oasis of shops and businesses located on the edge of the medieval town centre.

Surrounding a beautiful courtyard and garden, all our shops are local businesses, run by local families for local families, and together provide a tranquil and interesting place to visit.

FRONT COURTYARD The Art Gallery The Art Gallery is where you can find the wonderful artist, Tom Stephenson. You may recognise some of his wooltastic creations (see photo) but did you know Tom’s gallery is bursting with unique hand painted canvases capturing the outstanding coasts of Northern Ireland as well? Over summer, Tom can often be found outside enjoying the weather while creating his latest masterpiece and is always more than happy to discuss his inspirations and works. Do not be surprised if you hear barking coming from The Art Gallery though, that’s just Tom’s assistant manager, Blue, who is always happy for a scratch between the ears!

The Silver Store In The Silver Store, you will find an extensive range of beautiful jewellery, old and new. The style of Roger and his team is impeccable, and they are more than happy to make sure yours is too!

Always happy to help, if your perfect piece is in the shop, they are sure to find it as their beautiful selection includes a wide variety of gold, silver and platinum pieces along with the unusual and stunning Alchemy range, so there is something for everyone. With new collections and stock being added all the time, every visit to The Silver Store is different than the last.

Lodge Men’s Room Only open for a brief week or two last year, we have a brand NEW barbershop, the Lodge Men’s Room! Through the black door, immediately on your left upon entering, and up the stairs, Jack and Jai are friendly, hard-working guys who provide a funky, fresh atmosphere where you are guaranteed to get

FORTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

your next favourite fade.

professional.

Mount 10 Gallery Father and son team, Gary and Warren, are opening Mount 10 Gallery, a wonderful mixed genre gallery. They exhibit a range of different artwork (including our very own Tom Stephenson), stunning photography that includes some pieces shot by Gary himself, ceramics and local hand-crafted pieces.

Kellie Courtney Hair Design Kellie Courtney Hair Design is lovely salon with a direct view of the garden where Kellie effortlessly provides a friendly and relaxing atmosphere whilst creating your own unique hair style.

The Mulberry Bush Next door to Mount 10 Gallery, you will find The Mulberry Bush, a beautiful children’s boutique. Whether it’s a special outfit, some comfy garments, or a unique present for your little one, Anita is more than happy to help you find what you’re looking for.

Locos Quickly becoming a favourite for the locals, Locos are serving up an extensive Mexican inspired menu, they are available for collection or delivery within the local area, and the fact they sold out on their first few night tells you all you need to know! Surrounded by our beautiful garden and Marine Gardens park, there are plenty of places to take a seat and enjoy their freshly made fiesta so come on down!

The Secret Bookshelf In our rear courtyard, turn immediately right to find The Secret Bookshelf. Covering everything from the classics to local authors to comic books, there is something for everyone!

They also stock a comprehensive range of literary related gifts or items, such as tote bags, night lights, jewellery and, sometimes, even a Niffler or two! Don’t worry if you can’t find what you’re after though, just speak to Chris and Jo to see what magic they can work!

The Nail Room On the left-hand side of the garden, beside the aromatic herb patch, there is Julie and her wonderful team in The Nail Room waiting to pamper you in style with a range of beauty treatments, always striving to implement the latest trends. Alongside her team of contemporary artists, Julie also offers a range of nail training courses, from beginner to

THE COU CARR

Dreamy Gifts and Crafts Run by the lovely Lucinda, Dreamy Gifts and Crafts is full of gifts suitable for all ages, and everything can be personalised for that special someone! Lucinda also stocks a large range of balloon displays, money balloons and arches to brighten up a special day.

Aletheia Consultancies Aletheia Consultancies are on the first floor overlooking our garden water feature and are available for all your contract carpeting needs.

JAVART JAVART is a beautiful treasure trove of homeware and giftware, where you can easily find that perfect present. Alison is also one of the main Northern Ireland stockists for the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, perfect for giving that beloved piece of furniture new life.

An avid user of the product herself, Alison is always happy to dish out tips, tricks and advice.

Bath-A-Licious Bath Bombs Up the stairs, we have our most recent new addition, Bath-A-Licious Bath Bombs! Both the factory and the shop, all her products are hand-made right here. Using all responsibly sourced materials, they provide amazing bath bombs full of fabulous bath art and with a full range of not only bath bombs, but also shower steamers, it is well worth a visit.

The Talking Shop Completing our rear courtyard, we have Lee in The Talking Shop. Set up by Positive Carrickfergus to host a project exploring the future of Carrickfergus with the people who live here, The Talking Shop invites innovative thinking and imagination, while providing an encouraging space for community-orientated ideas and experiments.

The Art Gallery

URTYARD RICK

The Silver Store

Lodge Men’s Room Mount 10 Gallery

The Mulberry Bush Locos

The Secret Bookshelf The Nail Room

Kellie Courtney Hair Design Dreamy Gifts and Crafts Aletheia Consultancies JAVART Bath-A-Licious Bath Bombs The Talking Shop

38 Scotch Quarter Carrickfergus

FEATURE // TROPIC BY ALLEN

TROPIC BY ALLEN // MY JOURNEY I think we can all agree that when we heard on the news about some new mystery virus that we wouldn’t be affected by it. Oh boy were we wrong! Fast forward to 2021 and here we are, still in lockdown. It’s almost a day to the year I’ve been in lockdown and out of work that I’m sitting writing this, and I can hardly believe that my normal day to day job is PR & Entertainment Manager for Anthology NI (Kremlin Nightclub & Union Street Bar) which I absolutely love. I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things full time, see all my co-workers and all our amazing customers and entertainers. But I’m not the type of person who can just sit about and do nothing for a year.

2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us and I was no exception to that.

I’m a very social person and not being able to go to work or see my friends and family hit me in a way I never expected. My anxiety was through the roof and my mental health took a nosedive through the floor.

Couple that up with not being able to get to the gym and there you have a recipe for disaster!

I couldn’t exercise the way I wanted to. I stopped watching what I was eating, and I essentially stopped looking after myself and fell out of love with myself. I was completely lost in a world where I felt like I had no purpose. I had nothing to get out of bed for and like so many others, I just let myself slip further and further into this Covid hole that I had dug for myself.

I desperately needed to feel that my life had some sort of value. I needed something to occupy my mind but also help me care for myself again. Welcome to the picture, one of my best friends, Dannielle. I remember going to see her one evening and she sent me away with Tropics ‘ABC Collection’ to try, along with a seed planted, that I could become an Ambassador for Tropic. The thought that I could represent this brand seemed absurd to me at first but within a few days I was hooked on my new skincare regime. Plus, I was noticing my complexion begin to change and improve. My skin was

FIFTY // GNIMAG.COM

smoother, brighter, fresher and dare I say it, looked younger!

A few days later I signed up as an Ambassador and began my own journey with Tropic. It was a very strange turn of the tides, but it was a perfect fit for me. Tropic Skincare CEO, Susie Ma, is nothing short of a revolutionary and it seemed that our aspirations for a greener planet aligned perfectly. Over lockdown I had the chance to really evaluate my place in the world and what I could do to make it a better place right now and for generations to come.

Tropic Skincare offered me a chance to be a part of something so much bigger than just a skincare brand. It allowed me to be part of a company that is vegan friendly; a company that is animal cruelty free; a company that promotes natural products; a company that is double off-setting its carbon emissions… the list goes on!

Something that really struck a chord with me was Susie's vision for a more empowered world. She believes that education is a human right and not a privilege. Now, being an ex-teacher myself, this was a very deep connection for me.

Every single product purchased helps to support children across the world alongside ‘United World Schools’. Tropic even has its very own school in Cambodia and another on the way in Nepal. It’s amazing to think that myself and my customers are part of building a better world, as well as looking after our skin.

I began my journey with Tropic Skincare in January 2020. My only regret is not starting it sooner, but better late than never, I guess.

I signed up and my initial thought was, “oh my, what have I done!”. But it wasn’t long before the support came flooding in from my teammates and I felt incredibly welcome and part of the team. This camaraderie was just what I was looking for over lockdown. It was such a lift for my mental health having those daily interactions with my team and building new relationships with my customers.

I tentatively set up my Facebook group and

started to reach out to people and build my business. Within days I was hooked! I was speaking with people again and I had something to look forward to every day. I set myself goals and targets to give me a focus and a purpose each day and gradually I started to find myself again. I started going out for walks again, I started to do my skincare routine night and day, and day by day I started to find love for myself again. I had a purpose, and I had a smile back on my face at a time when life just didn’t seem to be very enjoyable.

As my love for the brand, products and overall vision grew, so did my selfconfidence and self-esteem. I was starting to see flashes of the Allen I know come back to life. I set myself short term and long-term goals and shared these with Danni who has been an amazing source of inspiration and support. January went by in the blink of an eye and I couldn’t believe that I had earned myself the famous ‘white bag’! It was at the end of that first month that I knew I had made what would come to be the best decision of 2021 - without a doubt!

Going into February there was a real fire and a passion in me to share Tropic. Not just the products but also its vision “to create a healthier, greener and more empowered world.” Normally, we as Ambassadors would be out doing pamper nights and meeting you all face to face and having a laugh with you whilst showing you our products and sharing Tropics core values, but alas, lockdown. What did we do before social media? For now, we are doing all of our interaction through social media, which has its own set of challenges, but it has been a fantastic tool in helping to spread the word about Tropic. I can't wait to host my first pamper, you better believe it will be the best nights craic!

In February I ended up surprising myself the most when I ended up in the top 40 across the whole of the UK, which has 20,000 Ambassadors. I was absolutely gobsmacked and couldn’t believe the

FEATURE // TROPIC BY ALLEN

support from my customers, but what was even more amazing was that my team and I had been able to provide 266 school days for those less fortunate. That blew my mind and has only inspired me even more on my journey to spread the Tropic Love! Then in March I made it into the top 30 and I was just in awe of the support from everyone.

That opportunity comes every day when I interact with my customers, but it also came in the form of an existing customer becoming an Ambassador and joining my team. I just love seeing people fall in love with this brand and its vision and then taking a leap of faith into building their own business and spreading that vision even further afield. My focus now for 2021 is to build a phenomenal team of likeminded people who share my passion for Tropic and all its values.

Using these fantastic products and becoming an Ambassador was easily the best decision I will make this entire year. Even when I go back to work full time, I have no plans to leave Tropic by the wayside, in fact my only plans are to continue as I have started. It sounds so strange to even say this to myself, but Tropic really was a lifeline for me that a friend threw to me when I needed it most.

Who would’ve thought that starting with the ‘ABC Collection’ would have led me to where I am now? Tropic Skincare really is a force for good, beyond beauty!

2020 was horrendous and forced us all into a life we didn’t see coming, nor did we know how to handle it. It forced me to reevaluate several aspects in my own life, but it also offered me opportunities and I could either sink or swim. Given the chance I will always swim. My point being that yes 2020 has been hard but there is light at the end of this tunnel. Tropic gave me a torch to find my way this far. I encourage all of you who have taken the time to read this to find what your torch is. What is it that you need to do to get over this past year? What is it that you need to do to allow you to move confidently into 2021? We have all been given the chance at a fresh start and a clean

slate, don’t waste that! Find what it is for you that gives you a torch to carry, for me it was Tropic. Each of us will have something quite different and that’s what makes the world a beautiful place to live.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and be part of it Allen x

FIFTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

ART // ILLUSTRATION BY SD

ILLUSTRATION

BY SD FIFTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

ART // ILLUSTRATION BY SD

NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I think I would be sitting down to write an article about my own artwork but here we are! I’m Shóna, the face behind Illustration by SD. I’m originally from Kilkenny but I am currently living in Cork. For as long as I can remember I have loved to draw. My favourite thing when I was younger was getting new stationery and art supplies. I was constantly drawing and painting. I remember making decorations for the house for every occasion. In school however, I took the more academic route. I studied Chemistry in college before completing a Masters and now I’m currently finishing up my PhD. I found my love for drawing again while trying to find an escapism from my studies. When I sit down to draw, my mind instantly feels at ease.

What really got me back into drawing during lockdown were draw along Instagram lives with tattoo artist, Rebecca Vincent.

This has now evolved into a creative outlet called ‘The Art House’ curated by both Rebecca and another amazing artist, Jade Clark. It really is amazing to see how this has inspired so many others to pick up a pencil and draw. Another art-

FIFTY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

ART // ILLUSTRATION BY SD

related thing I found myself doing during lockdown was paint by numbers. The fun and sometimes tedious task distracted me for hours on end during lockdown when I needed it most.

Come to think of it, I really should finish that painting!

I have always wanted try my hand at digital illustrations.

I recently got an iPad which was the perfect opportunity to start drawing digitally. My style of drawing happened accidentally one day while doodling. I didn’t know what to draw at first. I tried to think of what I enjoy and drag came to mind instantly. I remember the first ever drag performance I saw was Joanna Ryde over 10 years ago. It was so much fun.

After moving to Cork, I discovered the fantastic place that is Chambers. The talent in Cork is phenomenal. I got to see Mia Gold, Letycha Le’Synn, Liam Bee, Lucina Schynning and Cerena to name a few. The first ever queen I drew was Kim Chi. The dramatic makeup look seemed really interesting to me to draw and once I had completed that drawing, I knew I was onto something pretty cool. I would describe my style as colourful, simplistic line drawings. It is very satisfying to see a couple of lines come together into a completed piece. I think my style of simple line drawings lends itself well to eye makeup especially. I adore drawing fabulous big wings and lashes! I have a passion for both makeup and art and in my opinion, drag is a beautiful combination of these. After this I continued to draw some internationally known queens over on my Instagram. I’m really passionate about supporting our own local drag performers. We have so much talent all around us here in Ireland. One day I realised I needed to start drawing my favourite local Irish queens. I started with the amazing Mia Gold. Then Victoria Secret and Davina Devine from Dublin. I’m a huge fan of these two, their podcast Petty Little Things is one of my favourites. Now, I have posted almost 100 drawings of Irish drag performers on my Instagram and I still struggle with who I decide to draw since we have so much talent. A good complaint I know!

I am so grateful for the support I have had. It is great to be able to be creative and add a splash of joy with my art.

I was absolutely honoured to be asked to have my artwork

FIFTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

as part of the MTU Cork LGBT* Society exhibition back in February to celebrate their documentary ‘Dragging Up The Past’. It was fantastic to be part of such an inspiring and uplifting celebration. I highly recommend you check out the documentary which takes you on journey through Cork’s drag timeline.

I’ve found many new drag artists through Illustration by SD and I can’t wait to discover more amazing talent. As well as drawing drag artists, I also enjoy drawing other custom illustrations. I am very lucky to have been asked to draw some gorgeous people. My commissions are currently open and I would love to draw more custom designs. I can be found over on my Instagram (@illustrationbysd) or by email (illustrationbysd@gmail.com). I hope this article inspires at least one person to pick up a pen or pencil and draw!

NOW TAKING BO OKINGS FOR 2022 / 2023

….your Perfect Day, done your way. It’s what we do.

Chimney Corner Hotel, 630 Antrim Road Newtownabbey, BT36 4RH Tel 02890 844925 www.chimneycorner.co.uk

FASHION // THEUNDERDOGDM

THEUNDERDOGDM MY NAMES DANNY I’M A HAIRSTYLIST BEEN IN THE GAME AROUND 8 YEARS NOW, IF LOCKDOWN HAS TAUGHT US ANYTHING IS NEVER GIVE UP ON WHAT YOUR PASSIONATE ABOUT AND YOUR DREAMS, I DECIDED TO RE BRAND MYSELF AND CREATE A NEW LOGO AND NAME THEUNDERDOGDM I ENTER AROUND 3 HAIR COMPETITIONS A YEAR IT’S SOMETHING I LOVE DOING IT HELPS GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE AND MEET SOME TALENTED PEOPLE AROUND THE UK. LAST YEAR I WAS A REGIONAL WINNER/FINAL OF THE LOREALS COLOUR TROPHY AND WELLA TREND VISION AND THE BEST OF THE BEST AWARDS. MY INSPIRATION/ROLE MODELS IN THE WORLD OF HAIR WOULD BE JOSH LAMONACA, JOANNE O’NEILL, LEONARDO RIZZO AND DARREN AMBROSE. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO MEET ALL 4 OF THEM AND GET GREAT ADVICE FROM SUCH TALENTED STYLISTS LIKE THEMSELVES. FIFTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

FASHION // THEUNDERDOGDM

I CREATED A FRESH BRIGHT COLOUR THAT WOULD STAND OUT WITH THE NATURAL CURLY HAIR

FIFTY SEVEN // GNIMAG.COM

FASHION // THEUNDERDOGDM

THE THIS LOOK I WANTED TO GIVE MY TWIST TO A FUTURISTIC MULLET WITH COLOURS THAT WOULD STAND OUT AND SHOW THE HAIRCUT OFF.

FIFTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

FASHION // THEUNDERDOGDM

WHY BLEND IN, BETTER TO STAND OUT WITH A HINT OF GREEN AND ALL OVER ICY WHITE.

FIFTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

FASHION // THEUNDERDOGDM

FOR THIS LOOK I WANTED THE PIXIE HAIRCUT TO POP. TONED WITH DIFFERENT TONES OF YELLOW/GOLD.

SIXTY // GNIMAG.COM

“Shop of unexpected things” Antiques, beautiful furniture, and interesting lifestyle objects – giving them plenty of space in the fabulous Portview mill. Come visit us, you never know what you will find…

Unit B102 | Portview Trade Centre | Belfast, BT1 4HE

www.dandylionshop.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL // TARA’S HILL COTTAGE

THE MOURNES // ARE CALLING TARA’S HILL COTTAGE IS THE PERFECT STAYCATION. TARA’S HILL COTTAGE IS LOCATED in the foot of the Mourne Mountains. Tara’s Hill Cottage provides you with breath taking views and an exclusive private property looking directly into the valley of Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Bearnagh.

Areas of Attraction (all within 10 mile radius) • Tollymore Forest Park • Game of Thrones Film locations • Slieve Donard - highest mountain in Ulster • Silent Valley

• • • • • •

Castlewellan Forest Park Slieve Binnian Hare’s Gap Spelga Dam Newcastle County Down home of the red arrows Royal County Down Golf Course - one of the worlds top 5 golf courses

This is the perfect getaway to enjoy nature, walk the mountains, explore Newcastle, Tollymore Forest Park, Silent Valley and much more.

“The cottage is set in an amazing location, the views are spectacular. Perfect for close by mountain trails and short distance to nearest town.

The cottage itself is very well decorated and the wood burner was a great for settling in evenings!”

“Perfect, spotless, cosy home.

Excellent location with break taking views of the Mournes. I can’t recommend the cottage and area highly enough. Privacy and peace.”

What our guests say...

Have you booked your staycation?

Tara’s Hill Cottage is the perfect place to get away for a few days. Located at the foot of The Mournes Mountains, complete with your own outdoor hot tub and patio area.

176 Bryansford Rd, Newry, BT34 5LW M: 07933 480 854 E: darraghohanlon161@ hotmail.co.uk facebook.com/tarashillcottage instagram.com/tarashillcottage

“Great wee cottage with amazing scenery all around it.

Really enjoyed my and would definitely come back and would recommend to others.”

Check us out on Facebook: facebook.com/TarasHillCottage

LIFE!

FITNESS, LOCAL, REVIEWS, LIFE IS REAL!

FEATURE // SLEEPY TOWN

NITE NITE

BELFAST, THE MOST TIRED CITY IN THE UK

SIXTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // SLEEPY TOWN BELFAST IS THE MOST TIRED City in the UK Sleep is essential for good physical and mental health. However, one Wellbeing Report found that two-thirds of UK adults suffered from disrupted sleep, while one-third of people believe they have insomnia. Now, with contributing and increasing factors such as anxiety during the pandemic, new data reveals an increasing reliance on sleep assisting chemicals.

One mattress manufacturer, OTTY Sleep, has revealed the major UK city where most people struggle to get to sleep. By researching sleepdeprived related keywords and analysing the most common terms that we ask Google, the mattress manufacturing business has collated new data that explores inter-city and regional search volumes, the sleep remedies we seek out, and how our sleeping patterns have changed since the pandemic started.

The 20 most populated cities in the UK were analysed, looking at over 400 key terms and their search volume in each. Search terms included ‘Can’t sleep’, ‘Sleeping tablets’, and ‘Insomnia’. Comparing this against their population exposes the cities where people find it most difficult to sleep. Here, we explore the results and the sleep solutions the UK must take for their own health.

Ranking the worst-rested Belfast was confirmed as the most tired city in the UK. The Northern Irish capital searched for sleepless related terms more than any other major UK city. The people of Belfast were 38 per cent more likely to seek out help from Google than the average search score across the 20 cities. For every 100,000 people, sleepdeprived terms were searched for 1,931 times.

While Belfast sleepwalked their way into first place, they were closely followed by Newcastle upon Tyne and Plymouth, who placed second and third respectively. People in these two areas are 32 per cent and 28 per cent more likely to search for sleep-deprived terms than the average person across the UK’s major cities.

Meanwhile, some cities proved themselves more capable of a good night’s sleep than others. Surprisingly and despite being the UK’s equivalent of the city that never sleeps, London demonstrated a limited need for sleep assistance. For every 100,000 people in the English capital, there were only 693 searches per month for sleep-deprived terms.

This falls 51 per cent below the UK average.

As the centre of business in the UK, you could easily believe that a good night’s sleep was hard to come by. However, the people of

London have proved that they don’t have too much difficulty getting their shuteye.

Other well-rested cities included Birmingham and Sheffield, where searches were 30 per cent and 19 per cent below the UK average respectively.

A sleeping pandemic However, anxiety surrounding the pandemic may have also contributed to our sleeping problems. Between the start of 2020 and the start of 2021, searches for sleep-deprived terms increased by 30 per cent.

The city with the biggest increase was in Birmingham, where searches have grown by 51 per cent since the pandemic started. This was followed by Leicester with a 50 per cent increase. London, Glasgow, and Bristol also increased their searches by 38 per cent.

Every major UK city increased their searches for sleep-deprived terms in the past year! This demonstrates a clear shift in the lethargy of the country. Only Cardiff and Southampton had a minimal increase of 4 per cent and 16 per cent respectively, though any increase is concerning.

Tired solutions The sleep-deprived terms in the data included searches for sleep remedies. The key terms ‘sleeping tablets’ and ‘sleeping pills’ were the most searched for terms in the UK, with 27,100 and 22,200 searches every month.

Interestingly, these terms and ‘melatonin in the UK’ were searched for more by the UK public before asking ‘why can’t I sleep’ and ‘how to get to sleep’. This may indicate that the public is seeking out quick-fix solutions for their sleeping problems before attempting to truly understand their night-time issues. Meanwhile, terms such as ‘healthy sleep’ and ‘improve sleep quality’ were only searched 320 times each per month in the UK. Reeducating Brits on long-term sleep solutions is vital to getting a proper night’s sleep rather than relying on quick-fix pills that might get you to sleep but not leave you feeling rested.

Sleep deprivation can be caused by several factors, including anxiety, physical health, the quality of your bed, and your lifestyle routine. During the past year, most of these aspects have been out of our control, where lockdowns have impacted our routines including exercise and caused substantial stress. However, it is worrying that the data indicates more people looking for immediate relief for their sleeping troubles. Remedies including melatonin and other sleeping pills only offer short term solutions to this problem.

that your body produces when you are close to sleep. Using an additional supplement can increase your reliance on the chemical, meaning that it is more difficult to sleep in normal circumstances. Other side effects of the drug include nausea, dizziness, headaches, and prolonged tiredness when you should be alert. Instead, healthier alternatives to relieving your sleep troubles are recommended.

Exercise and meditation can help with sleep, not only does it help correct chemical imbalances in your brain and body, but they are also great tools for helping with anxiety and mental health. Creating a consistent routine is also important, and strict night-time routines can further help when it comes to getting to sleep. The body will release natural melatonin when it recognises it’s time for bed, so dimming the lights and preparing yourself for sleep is better than throwing yourself straight into bed after an evening in front of your phone or TV. You should also consider how your bed affects your sleep. It’s often overlooked despite its importance in our lives – we spend around a third of our lives in one. Good mattresses are supportive, breathable, and comfortable.

Sleep is important for body repair, not just your rest. When lying down, different parts of your body will be pressured on the mattress. A mattress that combats this effect is essential.

Other factors which can impact our sleep include odour, moisture, and temperature. A bamboo mattress is usually a viable solution for these problems. The natural components of the mattress are antibacterial, help eliminate odour and moisture, and regulate temperature, further helping you to get to sleep every night.

Sleep is vitally important for our health. But while the data shows that sleepless city people are becoming increasingly tired, there is also evidence of a determination to improve our sleep. Whether through positive routines, good exercise, or a quality mattress, we can all become pro-sleepers with a little help and guidance.

Sources https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/newsreleases/2017/10/Sleepless-cities-revealed-asone-in-three-adults-suffer-from-insomnia/ https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/ exercise-and-insomnia Credit - OTTY www.otty.com

Melatonin, for example, is a natural chemical

SIXTY FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

FEATURE // THE TRUTH ABOUT FOSTERING

THE TRUTH ABOUT FOSTERING BEING IN A SAME SEX COUPLE, BEING SINGLE OR NOT HAVING CHILDREN OF YOUR OWN MEANS YOU CAN’T FOSTER - RIGHT? WRONG! AVERY BOWSER, CHILDREN’S SERVICES MANAGER FOR ACTION FOR CHILDREN’S NI REGIONAL FOSTERING SERVICE, EXPLODES COMMON MYTHS AND DISCUSSES WHY FOSTERING IS NOT A ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’ ROLE. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, more children than ever are in need. But these aren’t just children from poverty-stricken countries. These children – who desperately need love and a safe place to call home - are from Northern Ireland. They are in your community, on your street or even next door.

Avery Bowser, who joined Action for Children in the role of Children’s Services Manager in the NI regional fostering service in 2014, has seen the pandemic worsen an already desperate situation. He explained: “The need for foster carers is very great in Northern Ireland at the moment but the numbers coming forward have been too small.”

Whilst many people have the space and time in their lives – and hearts – to foster, they are put off by myths which make them believe their lifestyle or circumstances are a barrier to them being accepted. Avery said: “One of the most common myths we encounter is that your sexual orientation can impact your eligibility to foster. Others include that you need to already be a parent, or that you can’t be single, or in full time work or have pets. People often think you need to be a certain age or own your own home. These are all simply not true. As long as you are over 21, have a spare room and the motivation to become a foster carer, we can consider your application.”

Whilst the stresses of the pandemic have pushed more families to breaking point, fostering remains a stable solution. It helps young people recognise the value of expanding relationships, establishing healthy attachment, and developing an understanding of trauma, whilst providing unrivalled support for carers. Avery said: “At Action for Children we provide foster families that have the warmth and stability that enable children to cope with the changes that life brings them. We do that by recruiting ordinary people, from all walks of life, who do something extraordinary – become a foster carer.”

SIXTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

Action for Children prides itself on the number of stable placements it supports. This is the result of a recruitment process that takes the time to get to know the carers. This directly aids the matching process. Matching is important because every child has different needs. To help find a home where every child can flourish, Action for Children need the help of all kinds of foster carers. Avery explained: “Our aim is simply to create families for children. As we know, families come in all different shapes and sizes. There is no one-size-fits-all foster carer. We need carers from all walks of life, of all ages and from different backgrounds.”

When joining the Action for Children family, foster parents will be supported every step of the way. As well as being assigned a dedicated fostering social worker, they will get to know the whole service team, from administrative staff to support staff. They also have access to a 24/7 helpline and comprehensive training to ensure they are equipped with all the skills they need. The ‘family’ ethos of the NI fostering service is strengthened by its ‘compactness’. Avery said: “We get to know the children and their carers as individuals; knowing who the families are makes a real difference to the support we can offer them.”

Action for Children also run regular support groups for carers and organises family outings. These allow foster carers, who are all doing the same amazing thing, a space and opportunity to interact with others who know what they are going through. Avery said: “One of the things we are most looking forward to when lockdown restrictions lift is resuming our face to face outings with our foster families. These help to reaffirm that we are all part of one bigger family.”

Fostering with Action for Children is very flexible. Whether you have the ability to welcome a child into your home on a full-time basis or for planned short break care, your time and dedication will be instrumental in helping make a difference to that child’s life.

For more information on Action for Children contact the friendly fostering team on 028 9046 0500 or email fostercareni@actionforchildren.org.uk

Room for more Start your fostering journey with us

Contact our friendly fostering team today: 028 9046 0500

fostercareni@actionforchildren.org.uk

actionforchildren.org.uk/fostering

@AFCNIFostercare

Registered charity nos. 1097940/SC038092. Company no. 4764232. © Action for Children 2021.1621.

REAL LIFE // GARY AND NIGEL

MEMENTO // OCCASIONS

BY ANNA BAILIE

NIGEL AND GARY WHO OWN Memento, Belfast’s home of botanical artistry take time out to talk to GNI about life, love, and most importantly flowers.

They say that opposites attract and this is certainly true for Nigel and Gary. They are the perfect compliment to each other and it’s easy for all to see how these self-confessed polar opposites work so well, both professionally and personally. We caught up with Nigel and Gary on a cold Monday morning amid lockdown, as they were finalising their revamped Ormeau Road store and simultaneously renovating their studio space in Owen O’Cork Mill in East Belfast.

SIXTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

For those who have ever snapped a selfie outside the now-infamous store on the Ormeau Road, indoors is even better! It’s every bit the quirky, modern flower shop complete with plant wall and ceiling arrangements. A wonderful shock to the senses, it’s the Destination Store that you read about but don’t expect to see in Belfast. This stunning store would not look out of place in central London bustling with Celebrity clients, the who’s who of society, designers, hoteliers and corporates looking for the latest musthave display for their launch …hold on those are some of the clients Memento have already, not that you’d guess it from Nigel and Gary’s unassuming demeanour.

REAL LIFE // GARY AND NIGEL

If that’s not enough of a repertoire, the 3000sqft of studio and office space in Owen O’Cork Mill is filled to bursting with interesting blooms from all over the world, dried flowers, state of the art storage facilities and large workspaces for the 15 strong team. On arrival, you are greeted with the most stunning, large scale floral picture frame, filled with every shade of flower imaginable.

“Oh, that’s our Selfie Frame” Gary explained nonchalantly, as he set about making a cuppa and fetching Nigel so we could chat.

The pair seem very much in tune as they go about their daily tasks, each with their own part to play in operations.

Gary, who comes from a corporate background and has a wealth of experience in high-profile blue-chip companies, is responsible for the corporate side of the business and all things web related. He is such a talented marketeer that their website provider now asks him for advice. Nigel is very much the Creative. Floristry is in his DNA having helped his mum Glynis since his teens before studying at CAFRE, after which he went on to win numerous awards including Gold for the UK and Ireland at World Skills and was a finalist at the Chelsea Flower Show. He now uses his talents to train the team and create stunning floral artistry for all.

“Coming from a corporate background he has the business acumen that helps

drive our business forward, whilst I provide the creative input which makes us the perfect match!” explains Nigel.

The couple met in June 2015 through a popular dating app,” It was a very 21st Century romance” Gary laughs, “But it worked for us, we have been together almost six years, in business together for 5 years and married for two and a half”.

When they first met, Gary was working in a corporate job for a blue-chip company in Belfast. Nigel, along with mum Glynis was running Memento’s flagship store in Carryduff which opened in 2005. As the relationship progressed, so too did the pairs love of all things botanical. They have an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants & flowers, which they share freely with all their clients both online, in-store and through their workshops. “We are plant addicts” joked Nigel, “So much so, we created our plant addict line offering workshops and subscription” Gary adds with a smile. As time passed it was clear they had both met “the one,” so they started to plan a life together.

The store in Carryduff whilst popular

didn’t have the best location and footfall was low, so Gary and Nigel came up with a plan. On his way to work every day Gary passed a crumbly Old Post Office on the Ormeau Road, it was every bit fixer upper, but he had every faith it was the perfect spot and Nigel upon viewing agreed. By Mother’s Day 2016 the boys had saved the deposit, secured the building and with the help of friends and family they set about the first set of renovations. “It was a real labour of love,” Nigel recalls “When we finally got the keys and started to work on the store, we discovered that the boxes piled high and left by the previous tenant were holding the ceiling up. We had limited resources, it was a shell and we had to use what we had but we had so much support from our friends and family.

Our parents were so helpful between building counters and helping paint and we were able to open our new store on May Day 2016. ‘’ added Gary.

During this time the relationship had also progressed until Gary finally popped the question. “It was Nigel’s birthday in May 2018. I knew that Nigel was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, me being last minute as I am, popped out of work on the morning of his birthday and went into Belfast City Centre to find a ring. After hours of searching around different jewellers, I found a ring that I knew he would love. So that evening when we both finished work, we went home for some celebratory birthday drinks. I’m not one for hanging about so before we’d even toasted his birthday, I was down on one knee in the living room, I asked, he said yes and balled his eyes out!” Gary recalls.

The couple wasted no time in planning their special day. “We never were ones to hang about,” Gary adds.

Gary’s Mum was battling Cancer and devastatingly it was terminal. It was so

SIXTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

REAL LIFE // GARY AND NIGEL

important to both Gary and Nigel that she was part of their day and Gary wanted nothing more than his beautiful mum to walk him down the aisle and give him away. They set about planning their perfect day on a date four months after their engagement. Gary’s Mum Briege helped with the planning from her hospital bed and despite her illness was so excited with every new decision and sample that Gary shared with her right down to the invitations.

The theme for the big day was ‘Botanical Romance’ as it embodied everything that they both loved. “We went with an Indian Summer floral palette. It was bright, vibrant and lively with a balanced mix of flowers and plants. Nature is a really important aspect of our life and with it being such a special occasion for us both, it made sense for us to design and create our own floral creations for a memorable day.” said Gary. “Working in the wedding industry, we had made great connections with various suppliers. We were spoiled for choice and well looked after by those in the industry” Nigel said. “Having seen some amazing creations created by John at the Sugar Room, we had no doubt in our mind who we wanted to create our wedding cake. We met up with John and discussed our design brief, we wanted a beautiful cake that would be set on a summer floral meadow base created by us. We wanted to incorporate plants and flowers in the design, so we picked 5 different flavours and left the design to John’s imagination.

Nothing could have prepared us for the creation he designed for us! We spied a sneak preview of the cake from the window of the hotel when we were leaving Belfast City Hall after having the official partnership ceremony and we practically ran back to the hotel to see what he created for us, it was AMAZING!” It was a similar story with the photography on the day as working in the Wedding Industry, Nigel and Gary knew exactly who they wanted to capture their special memories – it had to be Karolyn and Jess the amazing wife & wife duo from Honey and the Moon Photography.

Gary explained “We wanted to use the urban setting of the city centre which has some amazing iconic graffiti murals, we are both colourful characters so big bold pieces of art made the perfect backdrop. We met up with Karolyn & Jess, being from the LGBT community we clicked instantly and they immediately understood our vision.

They did an amazing job capturing every perfect moment!”

One of the most difficult decisions to make was that of venue “It was important that we had a venue that was accessible and close to a hospital as at this stage my Mum was very ill, so we arranged to host a humanist ceremony hosted at Ten Square in Belfast and invited family and closest friends to join us.” said Gary. With the help of the Ten Square, Nigel and Gary spent the two days before their wedding filling their reception room with all things botanical. They

SEVENTY // GNIMAG.COM

had floral chandeliers suspended above the banquet table, a tropical floral arch for the ceremony, every windowsill was filled with stunning pieces of botanical artistry and a cake table that “wouldn’t have looked out of place at the mad hatters’ tea party” the boys confessed. The details were important, with such an eye for colour and creativity everything had to be perfect on the day. Nigel got his floral printed suit from Twisted Tailor and his red shoes were from Irregular Choice Gary (with a little help from his Mum) spent a long time in the quest for the perfect suit “I have a real thing for all things green so it made sense that I wore a green suit which I finally got from Remus in Victoria Square.

Gary and Nigel were married on Thursday 20th September 2018 and it was the perfect moment where their creativity and romance crested.

Speaking about their day Nigel said ‘We both got ready together in the hotel, it was really special sharing that time together. It was made all the funnier as the Bridal suite was directly across the street from Gary’s old office. When we were getting dressed his colleagues spied us from the window and started waving whilst I was standing there in my boxers suiting up!’ Gary added, “For me, my most memorable and special part of the day was when we were standing ready to walk down the aisle. We were both being given away by our Mum’s, so it was touch and go if my Mum was going to be able to make it to the wedding due to her illness. But being the fighter she was, she made it on the day looking a million dollars and I was able to share that special moment in time with her. We walked

REAL LIFE // GARY AND NIGEL

down the aisle to Dolly Parton ‘Here I Am.’ It was also memorable, in part, as Nigel’s mum had a mini panic attack as the music started to play and we had to get her a glass of water and a paper bag.

At one point we thought we were going to have to get Rachel on the piano to take the song from the top again!”

From that day Nigel and Gary have gone from strength to strength. There have been challenges along the way but they’ve never looked back. Gary gave up his corporate job and decided to go full time in the business and now no two days are the same for the pair. Whether it’s gift bouquets, home installations, office and hotel flowers, bridal bouquets, outdoor installations, silk installations for shopping centres and restaurants

or racing down to Dublin to provide the perfect backdrop for Jo Malone, there’s no such thing as an average day. “We don’t want to be a run of the mill florist with off the shelf products. We want to harness the creativity from our amazingly talented team to make unique displays for all our clients, that’s why we don’t offer a specific collection on the website.

Instead, we give our customers’ style options to choose from and we let our professionally trained florists incorporate that style, using the selection of fresh seasonal flowers and dry flowers that we have in stock. We rotate our flower selection every week buying in a complimentary colour palette so that we always have a bespoke offering for every customer” they explain. The year has presented the company with many new challenges in a short period of time.

During the first lockdown, Memento continued to stay open in a limited safe capacity but there was a global shortage of flowers as the distribution network had been severely impacted, and many local suppliers were forced to close which made the task of opening all the more difficult. However, not ones to be afraid of a challenge, the boys looked to their international links. “We were very lucky that we had strong links directly with our Dutch supplier who was still able to provide us with fresh flowers. As one

of the few only florists still open in the country we saw our business expand very quickly. It was this growth that prompted us to open our new Creative space in East Belfast. It allowed our team to work in a socially distant environment and give us the space to take on more team members.” Gary said. “As we were receiving so much support and thanks from our clients for staying open, we felt it only right that we supported our front line workers so we started our NHS giveaway. We opened a page on our website for nominations and within the first week received over 10,000 entries.

We couldn’t believe it and with the help of our team we were able to give away over 350 bouquets to NHS and front line workers over the space of 3 weeks, and from then right through till the end of 2020 we give away a bouquet a week to those who put their lives at risk to save ours!” Nigel added. It’s the perfect story of industry professionals working together to bring positive growth through a pandemic, not one member of staff was put on furlough and all have worked in line with the health and safety guidelines throughout. Never mind a bubble, this little bunch of botanical creatives are more like family.

When asked about their future plans, Nigel and Gary simply replied “Watch this space!” I think I speak for all at GNI when I say we are boys…we are sure it will be bright in all senses of the word.

FOLLOW @MEMENTOBELFAST ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WWW.MEMENTOFLORALDESIGN.COM INFO@MEMENTOFLORALDESIGN.COM 230 ORMEAU RD, BELFAST BT7 2FZ TEL: 02895 430 330

SEVENTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

NIGHTLIFE // THE RIVER ROOMS

THE RIVER // ROOMS SITUATED ON THE BANKS OF the River Lagan the newly styled River Rooms is due to open its doors once again when restrictions are lifted. This beautiful iconic building Formerly Tedfords, built in 1851 is set over 3 floors where it is home to CLOUD, a funky basement tapas and cocktail's lounge, Ted’s Restaurant where you can indulge yourself in some fine cuisine and The Lagan suite, the perfect venue for organising a private function or boutique style wedding.

Mal & Moe Houston who own the River Rooms started out on this venture in January 2020 and decided during the pandemic if they didn't move now, they possibly never would and opened their doors all be it briefly in December where they received some lovely positive feedback. They believe that they will move the restaurant on to bigger and better things with the support of their family and friends and of course the general public.

Being in hospitality for many years Mal ran The Culture Club in the city, a favourite spot for the LGBTQ+ community who attended the many nights that they supported. It was Mal's dream to have a business that he could

SEVENTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

develop and call his own and believes The River rooms is the perfect venue to achieve this.

"With 3 different styles over the 3 floors our restaurant aims to be a fun & funky place to come and eat, socialise, chill and enjoy some music. As the building has been Tedford’s for many years, we tried to keep a part of the name attached and so Ted's Restaurant was born. Everyone will be given the warmest of welcomes from our friendly staff. So, we hope you will pay us a visit in the not so distant future. Our tag line is #rollingontheriver which we plan to do for many years to come.”

For bookings and more information drop us a message on Facebook Tel.02890 231777 Or Email theriverroomsbelfast@ outlook.com

REVIEW // FREETRAIN

FREETRAIN

THE #1 RUNNING ACCESSORY

CREATED WITH YOU IN MIND, the V1 phone holder is the product you don’t know you need until you have it. With over 150,000 satisfied runners & trainers, the V1 has finally given you the most streamlined & balanced way to take your small essentials with you whilst you train.

Thanks Freetrain Words by Daniel May Testimonial

I don’t often say this but, where have you been my whole life???

I dabble at fitness though have never enjoyed running mainly as I have always found it a real hassle trying to squeeze things into my pockets, e.g phone, keys etc then spending the next however long I manage to train complaining as things have been sticking into my legs or I’ve ending up holding them which makes for a particularly unpleasant experience.

Step in Freetrain, I cannot recall if it were Instagram or Facebook where I first noticed Freetrain either way I was super glad I did as my initial thought

was this could be the answer I was needing? In short YES! It was.

You need to see and experience Freetrain to really appreciate it, it is light and comfortable, I have tried arm straps in the past that hold your phone and there is no comparison, I find when I wear the Freetrain I forget that my phone is even in the middle of my chest.

I also use the Freetrain on the treadmill for reassurance that my phone won’t fall and to accurately count my steps. I

have an app that counts steps though unless I am holding the phone its useless also when my arms are swinging all over the place I’m sure it can’t be counting accurately, having the Freetrain securing my phone to me has sorted this. I slip on the harness, sync my music and off I go.

From having mine I have seen so many people sporting their V1, I cannot recommend it enough, get over www. freetrain.co.uk to purchase yours today, it is a bargain at only £29.99

Freetrain has been and still is a big part of my fitness journey as their running vest has provided me with perfect practicality whilst running and during other exercising activities.

The products allow me to not only feel the part but also, they (as a company) make me feel valued in regards to our collaborative relationship. As a Trans, Non-binary person, it can be difficult within the fitness industry to gain representation of the marginalised community I advocate for through my platform. The folks within Freetrain make me feel included and do exactly what other brands need to take note of; 'normalise all humans'. I look forward to seeing them grow even further.

Tj Lucas-Box @tjlucasbox LGBTQ+ Advocate & Motivator

SEVENY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

HEALTH AND FITNESS // MARTIN MURRAY

HEALTH AND FITNESS // MARTIN MURRAY Sprint into Spring: Rebirth, Regrowth & Rejoyce in the Past.

So here we are, on the countdown to lockdown ending. We have spoken about different forms of health; Physical Health, Emotional Health, Financial/ Occupational Health, Intellectual Health and Social Health but there is a sub category of social health not often discussed and that is sexual health.

Do not neglect your sexual health. I was on a list to start PREP but unfortunately, that never happened. Because of not receiving PREP and due to Covid I remained celibate. I understand a lot of us where in the same situation and with things opening up I just want to give out a message to people to be smart. I know myself well enough to know that I have little restraint. I will jump on the first Gym Bunny I see so have contacted the GUM clinic so start the process again of starting PREP. In addition, just like with STIs we should normalise speaking to sexual partners about if they have any STIs and if they are vaccinated. I am not saying you should not have sex with someone who isn’t vaccinated but you should have the information to make your own educated decision. Another Health issue rarely discussed is Spiritual Health. We have all been through a lot the last year so for some of you it might be time to reconnect with those who you celebrate your faith with and look at your plans for practicing your faith in a safe way going forward.

Speaking of faith, Easter has just passed.

Many people associate Easter with chocolate and eating “too much” whatever the definition of too much is for you. I want people to remember food is not your enemy. My cousins for example had a

SEVENTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

‘make your own Easter Eggs’ game which looked delicious and they are dentists so it can’t be that bad for you but it got me thinking, there really is healthy ways

to enjoy Easter and go big. Vegan Easter eggs are now widely available in most large supermarkets. I recommend buying one large Easter egg and breaking it in half.

You can then make your own filling with some fresh coconut, strawberries, bananas, honeycomb, raspberries, hazelnut, and peanut butter. Another idea would be to fill eggcups with yoghurt and fresh fruit or chocolate chucks then put in Popsicle sticks and leave overnight and there you have Easter popsicles. If you do not want to make anything then just buy some chocolate covered strawberries, the fruit added to the chocolate can actually be more filling and sweet.

One sweet treat I enjoyed over Easter was the arrival of my new “Fab, Fit &

Femme” Logo created by the incredible “@DragDoodles_” You can check out their other work and have your own created on Instagram. I was very excited to use it on the most recent episode of my Podcast talking about the History of LGBTQ sports.

Queer people have existed since Adam seen his reflection in the Garden of Eden lake and thought damn I look fine, ok I don’t know if that’s true but they have at least been around in sports since the first Olympic games around 776BC. The oldest plaque portraying relationships between men I believe dates back to before 625BC in Crete.

The terminology was pederasty, which was the relationship between an older man and an adolescent boy. The older man was responsible for educating, protecting, loving and acting as a role model. The boy was responsible for provide his youth, beauty and body to the older man. It is important to remember this was a historical cultural moment in time and then people at the time for the most part see this as helping the boys unaware of the concept of assault or grooming. Many of these men took part in the Olympic Games and there are images of Olympians kissing and performing sexual acts with young boys. Homosexuality and multiple genders are prominent in the history or cultures worldwide and it was until the spread of the Christian empire that misinterpretations of the bible forced homosexuals to hide their identity.

In the early 1900s the modern civil rights movement began to grow but in the sports world, the first major moment was in 1974 when Patricia Nell Warren published ‘The Front Runner’ which was the first

HEALTH AND FITNESS // MARTIN MURRAY contemporary work of gay fiction to make The New York Times Bestsellers list and went on to sell more than ten million copies. I really want to encourage people to buy a copy, as it is a beautiful book so I cannot bring myself to reveal the plot but essentially, it is a commentary on the difference of two generations of queer athletes at the time and a beautiful story of love, family and hope for a better future. The ending will literally have you in tears.

A few years later in 1977 a moment occurred that at the time even today would be considered ground breaking thanks to the work of Renée Richards.

Richards grew up as she put it “a nice Jewish boy” in Queens New York where she excelled on the baseball team, tennis team, swim team and football team. She eventually turned down an invite from the New York Yankees so she could focus on tennis and after graduating from Yale became the 6th best male tennis player in the world over 35. Richards continued to cross dress in private while serving in the navy and even went on to marry and raise a son but the marriage came to an end soon after when Renee announced she would fully transition choosing the name Renee meaning ‘reborn’. In 1977 she took the United States Tennis Association to the Supreme Court along with her witness Billie Jean King and won her case becoming the first open transgender woman to compete in the US Open.

In 1982 Tom Waddell changed the world of LGBT sports forever. Tom originally secured a track scholarship to college where he studied Physical Education but after the loss of his best friend, he switched to Pre Med. His athletics helped him again when he evaded Vietnam by going to train as a decathlete for the 1968 Olympics. Later in 1974, Tom established his own private practice in the famous gay neighbourhood of Castro, San Francisco. He joined a gay bowling league and developed the idea of the ‘Gay Olympics’ but the IOC

sued Tom as they felt the Gay Olympics would damage the reputation of the games so Tom renamed the even the ‘Gay Game’ which has ran every four years since with the 2022 Games being held in Hong Kong. Dublin and Liverpool where in the running for 2026 but lost out so here is hoping for 2030.

In 1991 headlines, referring to LGBT people where still based around the Aids Epidemic, the most famous being Freddie Mercury who came out in November and unfortunately passed away the next day. Another celebrity who revealed they were HIV positive in 1991 was a heterosexual basketball player called Magic Johnson, regarded as the best point guard of all time placing him in the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Magic is a staple in LGBT history as an ally. Magic has an Olympic gold medal, 3 NBA MVP Awards and is a two-time inductee of the basketball hall of fame. After announcing his HIV status, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation created to combat HIV. He was instrumental in fighting the stigma that HIV was the result of homosexual activities and drug abuse. That same year he married Cookie Kelly and they went on to have a son EJ Johnson who went on to star on Rich Kids Of Beverly Hills and received his own spin off show EJNYC which made him one of the first LGBT People of Colour to have their own reality show. EJ is now a news personality and commentator for E! News. Magic continues to fight homophobia in the hip-hop community within his church community.

In 1994 the Gay Games where held in New York City coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The games where the largest sporting competition in History at the time overtaking the Olympics. Ian McKellen gave the closing address in Yankee Stadium. The games continued to provide opportunities for LGBT

athletes and in 2006, The out Games and several other international LGBT Sports competitions began launching providing opportunities for LGBTQ Athletes worldwide to compete and to meet likeminded people.

These events lead to the opportunity for athletes like Gareth Thomas, Tom Daley, Gus Kenworthy and Megan Rapinoe and more to come out while competing professionally. An example of a more modern story is Johnny Weir to come out in 2011 after winning two Olympic medals, a world bronze medal, two grand prix medals, a world junior championship and three US National Championships. Weir was one of several subjects of the 2014 documentary ‘To Russia with Love.’ Which followed Gay Athletes competing in the Russian Olympics while dealing with the ethical dilemma of the Russian Gay Propaganda Law. Weir became the first American to win cup in Russia, something that was a major hit to the Russian Government due to their views on the LGBT community and American culture.

For more information on these stories and to hear about other key moments in the development of LGBTQ Sports History check out my Podcast on Spotify and my Instagram ‘Fab, Fit & Femme’.

If you are interested in joining a LGBTQ sports team or setting up a new LGBTQ sports team let me know but in the meantime pick up a tennis racket or a golf club because the courts and courses are reopen so let’s get out and get fit.

SEVENTY FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

SPORT // FOOTBALL

SEVENTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

SPORT // FOOTBALL

BELFAST BLAZE FOOTBALL CLUB – Northern Ireland’s first and only allinclusive LBGTQ+ and its allies football team, has been running for eighteen months. Having first been set up in September 2019 by a small group of friends with one clear goal. To embrace and encourage a sense of belonging, promote acceptance and the celebration of diversity in the sport of football. Many of its current members have excelled in other sports, and indeed some have set up sports clubs and societies. But there was an overriding theme that we saw, with increasing clarity in all conversations we had. As a small group of people, we were discovering that many LGBTQ+ individuals had experience oppression and exclusion in sport, from as young as their school and adolescent years. Notably football, which often has been perceived as a ‘Macho’ sport, often homophobic and ostracising for individuals who don’t excel.

Of course part of our continuing success this the diversity of our membership.

Whilst predominately and LGBTQ+ team, we have and still welcome heterosexual members who have become integral to the Club and our successes. Membership of the Team is and always will be open to everyone who openly supports and wants to positively contribute to the mission and objectives of ‘’Belfast Blaze’. Current members have told the committee that joining they were nervous showing up for their first training session, but the team were really welcoming and the fact that they hadn’t played football before wasn’t an issue at all. they always felt intimidated by the macho atmosphere around football generally, so they really enjoy playing with Blaze cos there’s none of that at all! We

This was the aim of Belfast Blaze. We wanted to demonstrate and show visibility of the LGBTQ+ community in football locally, nationally and internationally, and reduce isolation for those that want to play football. We seek to promote the safety and wellbeing of members the LGBTQ+ community in the sport, whilst providing both sporting and social events that promote pride, visibility, equality and inclusion. Eighteen months later and we agree that we have exceeded our initial expectations.

Even during difficult times of a pandemic, and the significant restriction of social and sporting events, we have saw the Club and its membership grow. From the early days of 10 members, and a Christmas Social, to now having over 179 members who follow and support on various social media platforms. To regular Matches and weekly training events with 20 to 30 individuals regularly presenting. We have recently secured Club sponsorship from two well-known international business firms, and we will relaunch in the coming weeks with our full football Kit and training gear, that will proudly display these sponsors - recognising our achievements in a relatively short period of time.

have a laugh, and they found the coaches to be really encouraging regardless of fitness level or skills level. It’s great to be able to play a team sport without worrying about fitting in!

committee feel that it is our ‘Can Do’ attitude towards the sport, and we welcome individuals from all abilities and skill level. We believe there is a place for everyone in the Team. From novice to league player. Some of current members our established players for other clubs from around Northern Ireland but choose to play for our Club. Why? Because we offer something different, something unique - a safe place where they can be themselves, openly, and play a sport they enjoy, that they love. Without fear of judgement.

We are proud of the fact that we are as diverse in our membership, as is diverse the population of Northern Ireland. Our club membership is made up of all religious backgrounds, we have both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual members, and no differences are made. We have travelled south of the Border and won football matches and look forward to the incoming League season where we will participate in our first League and Tournament.

If you want to be part of something exciting, something new in Northern Ireland, get in touch through our Social Media platforms on Facebook or Instagram. Contact a committee member in confidence, have an informal chat. It could be the first step you take in discovering a new sport.

Instagram Belfast blaze fc

So how have we achieved this? The

SEVENTY SEVEN // GNIMAG.COM

ANTHONY COOLEY // FITNESS

TAKING BACK CONTROL OF YOUR FITNESS // ANTHONY COOLEY PERSONAL TRAINER AT DEDICATED FITNESS BELFAST

HEY FOLKS, SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE A NEVER ENDING LOCKDOWN, IS IT STILL NOT OVER YET? JEEZ. Well, I am happy to report that we may finally emerge from this madness soon and hopefully get back to some sense of normality. Granted some of us a bit more cuddly than before but ye know what, that can be forgiven after the year we have all had. With word that the gyms will be opening up their doors again soon I want to provide you with a quick start guide to getting those fitness levels back up so when they do you will be more than ready to smash some goals this year.

Ideally you now want to be moving a bit more (and no that doesn’t include walking to your nearest Maccie D’s for two Big Mac meals washed down with a McFlurry) but moving around in general some more. If you are at home a lot at the moment, try to peel yourself off the sofa at least once an hour to walk around the house a bit. Make a cuppa instead of waiting for it to be handed to ye, and don’t be chomping down on biscuits every time you have one. Reduce those portion sizes!! I cannot say that enough! Those calories all add up my friend. If you have the luxury of a bathroom upstairs as well as downstairs then go to the upstairs one instead to increase those steps. Get out for a walk now that the weather is getting better and ditch the car as much as you can if the shop is only a 10 minute walk away. Thats you doing your bit for the

SEVENTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

environment too so win win! What I am getting at here is basically you now need to get moving a bit more and eating a bit less if there is a wee bit more of you to love than this time last year. If you can manage that everyday for the next month or so you will be surprised how quickly you start to look and feel a lot better about yourself!

And for those of you feeling particularly adventurous, heres some daily workouts from my at home lockdown programme that I have been offering online clients to get you up off your seat each day and working up a sweat. You don’t need to be spending thousands of pounds on expensive equipment that just ends up turning into a very fancy clothes rack a few weeks later in the corner of your room, am I right? *wink wink So here we go: Three of these workouts a week (Mon/Weds/Fri for example) to really start feeling the benefits. Each workout only takes approx 20 mins of your day (wee buns) and the only equipment you need is your body and some determination.

And once your fitness levels start to improve do 4 a week, then 5 and so on. Each workout focuses on a particular muscle group with the first all upper body, the next being lower body and finally a mixture of both.

ANTHONY COOLEY // FITNESS

Workout 1- Upper body Split Workout 2- Lower body Split Workout 3- Lower/Upper body Split So there you go folks. Get up and get moving! Who knows, we just might be lucky enough to get away for a nice holiday this year and if so I for one want to be comfortable stepping into my smallest budgie smugglers when I hit that beach and eating my weight in burgers and chips whilst out there.

The only way you are going to get away with all of that is by putting in the effort now so get to it and good luck!

And if you liked these workouts and want to do more as part of my online programme get in touch. Also when the gyms do open, if you are thinking about taking that first step but the thought of it fills you with instant dread I would be more than happy to offer a helping hand to break you into it gently. Just give me a shout! I am on instagram under the name “tony_ cools” or you can always find me on facebook or email me at anthony_ cooley@icloud.com Happy training folks and I hope to see you all soon for a much sunnier 2021!

Anthony.

SEVENTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

REVIEW // TOAST OFFICE

TOAST OFFICE //

THE COOLEST TOASTIES IN TOWN When you hear the words Toastie the first thing that comes to mind is comfort and pleasure, well this is exactly how we felt after tucking into the delights Toast office had to offer along with the feeling of pure unadulterated satisfaction.

Social media has been flooded with images of their Toasties from the first moment the hatch the went up, rain or shine the streets have literally been queued out with people wanting in on the action so we simply had to reach out and see what all the fuss was about.

First off how did Toast Office come about?

At Toast Office we set out to create really great grilled cheese sandwiches. We teamed up with a couple of chefs from a Belfast Michelin Star restaurant as well as Northern Irish suppliers to create mouth-watering, extra cheesy, grilled cheese sandwiches using local produce and high-end cheese. We've been completely blown away by the support in the last 2 months since launching our concept. So much so that now that our amazing stint at Hill Street Hatch has finished,

EIGHTY // GNIMAG.COM

we have moved to a new home meters away at The Dark House.

This is going to be one of the easiest and quickest reviews, did ever hear the saying a picture speaks a thousand words??

with decadent cheese. Starting with the more familiar of the 2, Ham and Cheese you can’t go wrong, this was packed with juicy ham and loaded with Coolattin Cheddar, delicious. And the 2nd being Pastrami & Pickle was right

Being a dessert lover, I was Intrigued by the Craic Pie, so I had to add this to our order, OMG this was unreal, I’m not exactly sure what the filling is though I know it was good lol, rich sweet, perfectly baked and just the right size of a portion, this was served with a Moorish dollop of fresh cream, you need to try it, Yum! Stuffing my face on this typical rainy day admittedly put a smile of satisfaction on my face.

Their formula is simple, an unconfusing Menu with 4 regular options of Toastie, a weekly Special, Soup, Drinks and not forgetting some dessert options for those like me who cannot live without something sweet, they have all bases covered. Can’t wait to get back for round 2.

Keep an eye on their social media for open hours, weekly specials and more.

We decided to order 2 toasties which we split and shared, we opted for the Fancy Ham & Cheese and the Pastrami & Pickles, I honestly cannot decide which I preferred, both oozed

up my street with a zingy Mustard that worked perfectly with the Store Cheese and House Made Pickles. Honestly don’t have a negative thing to say about either.

Thanks for being so accommodating.

Review by Daniel May

TRAVEL // IBIZA

EIVISSA // IBIZA WORDS: GAVYN ANDREWS

EIGHTY ONE // GNIMAG.COM

TRAVEL // IBIZA

IBIZA SNEAK PEAK EIVISSA A CITY BREAK THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU Ibiza is a destination that will live with you for the rest of your life and is often said to be the jewel of the Balearic Islands.

For years the media has described the Spanish island of Ibiza as the party hard capital of the Mediterranean for clubbers as well as a hotspot for the mega rich and famous but this unique picturesque island has so much more to offer than its large dance clubs and drug fuelled party night reputation.

This pine tree covered island is the second largest of the Balearics Islands which are formed of Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentor, which are collectively referred to as the Balearic Islands.

Ibiza has it all from dirt cheap and cheerful hostels to expensive exclusive luxury villas fit for well a King/Queen.

The majority of UK & Irish holidays makers head to the islands key resorts of San Antonio, San Antonio Bay and Cala Longa all of which offer something a little different. San Antonio or (San An) as it’s known is the main hub for clubbers and this is where you will find lots of small cafes bars and nightclubs along its many hilly cobbled back streets.

(Very bohemian). The main package holiday firms like TUI and Jet2 Holidays offer excellent options for both self-catering and Hotels with some All-inclusive options. A relatively new travel company called Party Hard Travel also sells the destination to the younger market that has lost some

EIGHTY TWO // GNIMAG.COM

big name travel brands over the past few years like Ministry of Sound Holidays and Club 18-30s.

Daytime in San An is a mecca for tourists with its mix of local unique shops and abundance of street cafes helping tourists soak up the atmosphere and the very hot Spanish sun. At the very heart of this area is a large Marina which has 100s of expensive yachts docked ready to disembark passengers to get a flavour of the Ibiza nightclub and dance scene. This is also the departure point for many of the Boat tours to private coves and trips around the island.

The clear blue seas edges are adorned with hotels and apartments leading to the many much older side streets that have been modernized over the past 10 years therefore offering a somewhat more sleek minimalist design suiting the young British and Irish clubbers seeking a week or two in the sun

with like minded dance enthusiasts. Ibiza is still host to many international DJ stars both in specific venues/nightclubs hotels, Beach Bars and festivals just to prove its importance on the Global Club Scene. Moving away from San Antonio town you will find yourself in the much less in your face San Antonio Bay area which aims more to the young families market with many activities geared towards younger teens/children. The coast line can often be rocky here but you will find some excellent beaches and thoroughly modern low rise international hotel resorts which maximise the use of both space and location to town itself.

This coast line is stunning and you can walk from the bay straight into the town if you’re feeling adventurous. Personally I would opt for the water taxis at certain times of the year or the local bus which is cheap and regular.

Summer peak season can be pretty expensive to holiday in Ibiza so my recommendation would be to try and book for end of May early June and early to mid September.

TRAVEL // IBIZA

The LGBTQ market has been part of the landscape of Ibiza for many years and the island offers a haven for city workers from all across Europe wanting to let their hair down and experience the many unique quirky delights that Ibiza has to offer.

As I have got older and become much more less interested in mass club venues I would highly recommend that you even think about staying in Ibiza Town area or close by. Ibiza Town is by its nature is a port city and is Ibiza’s Capital city. World class restaurants surround the port and with busy street cafes in the historic Old Town buzzing from the early hours late into the evening.

Shopping here is much better than in other parts of Ibiza and offers an array of boutique high end fashion stores just the thing to make you feel good after spending your day in the hot Spanish sun topping up your tan.

Ibiza town is also a spot where you could catch a glimpse of a celebrity and do a spot of international people watching.

What makes this place so special and unique to me is the fortified old town called Dalt Vila. Over the years the city has had parts added to it meaning it has a very unique and historic feel to it. The city is best explored on foot due to its narrow streets, steep inclines and cobbled back streets. If you love selfies and posting on social media then this place provides you with some truly inspiring backdrops for lifelong memories of your stay here in Ibiza Town.

Nightlife in Ibiza often like most European cities starts late in the evenings so my advice is to take your time and pace yourself. My first stop recommendation in Ibiza Town is to try Bar MonaLisa which is famous for its Gay Welcome and should set your mood for a very very good evening on the local LGBTQ scene. This venue is uber colourful and is popular with both local residents and tourists alike.

located at the base of Dalt Vila ramparts, just a minute or so walk from Calle de la Virgen. My favourite spot and maybe one of the oldest spots with a 40 years history is Angelos, I really like this spot as its split into two separate zones and for me it really is a place where you can come and enjoy lots of drinks some of the best Spanish tapas or international foods.

The upper floor is where the restaurant is and it offers its guest some truly romantic views of castle and the old town. I also like it because instead of gay friendly this place is straight friendly which I just love. As you walk down Calle de la Virgen which is the town’s main Gay Street you will come across many many gay bars including, Bar22, Lady D, Mad Bar and another firm favourite of mine DADO bar.

All of these small unique venues offer something a little different for the LGBTQ markets but if you like camp, glitz and other likeminded LGBTQ people then you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You will find all types of styles here from Drag, Go Go boys to bears and Leather not to mention sun kissed musclemen in tiny little speedos often just enjoying the scene.

My final word about Ibiza is you must go it’s a place all LGBTQ people should venture too and I guarantee you will enjoy one of the most fantastic relaxed, safe and friendliest gay spots on the planet.

As your night progresses you have many choices to make in the LGBTQ area which is

EIGHTY THREE // GNIMAG.COM

TRAVEL // TRAVELLING DURING THE PANDEMIC

TRAVELLING DURING THE PANDEMIC // GAVIN RENNICK AS THE ANNOUNCEMENTS ROLLED IN that Northern Ireland was shutting down and the economy was drawing to a halt.

With a personal love and dedication to fitness with the re-closure of leisure and gym facilities, I took it upon myself to break the chain and escape the Northern Ireland lockdown.

Following guidelines and travel advice I took myself for my PCR test, booked a flight - boarded

the plane to the Canary Islands.

Deep down knowing that trying to survive a lockdown without any form of the fitness facility and lack of fitness equipment available for purchase, travelling via the open travel corridor was the perfect "get out of jail free card" for me, with Northern Ireland being the " jail" I needed to escape.

Deciding to travel was the right option for me and boy was I glad!

EIGHTY FOUR // GNIMAG.COM

I travelled from Belfast to the canaries on a 4-hour journey to the sun, along with the added extras of restaurants, pubs and fitness facilities opened for the general public, and let me tell you after the year I had I needed out!!!

Onboard the flight there was a noticeable lack of passengers with a heightened presence of increased hygiene from all crew onboard. Of course, you were

allowed to eat and drink on board the flight but when not eating or drinking your mask had to be on at all times.

The use of the toilet during the flight was prohibited however you were asked to try and remain in your seat for the duration of the journey.

My feelings when travelling reminded me of how lucky I was to be able to just get up and go to leave Belfast behind for some time I did feel like the cat that got the

TRAVEL // TRAVELLING DURING THE PANDEMIC cream, thoughts of those back in Belfast stuck and unable to travel gave me the drive to throw caution to the wind and "Eat - Pray - Love" the shit out of this opportunity and live every moment to the fullest.

Travelling solo I do have to admit that the senses are heightened, and the awareness of personal security and safety come to the forefront. Flashes of "what the hell am I doing travelling during a pandemic" flash around my mind.

With a calming positive mental attitude, I realised that pandemic or not my reason for travel was for mental health and clarity. And a personal journey I needed to embark upon.

I don't know about you but living in lockdown had a crushing effect on my confidence with every choice being seconded guessed.

This confidence dip effect was directly attached to a feeling of not knowing how to navigate my way through the blur of the pandemic that was happening around me, my family and my peers…

On arrival to Gran Canaria it was noticeable that tourism

However, there was some MAD nights...and a special thanks to Mardi Gras Bar and the team there...they are utterly amazing guys and a pleasure to be around.

And to the team at Cheyenne's & Divinity, 2 great spots if you are planning a trip to the GC. On the whole I had such an amazing experience and met friends for life…

had been hit also many shops and retail outlets were closed. The landscape as I looked around was barren, the noticeable lack of people also added to the Erie new world that would normally be filled with hustle and bustle was it all gone? And for how long?

Surely the island won't survive if there are no tourists…

Throughout my visit to the Island, I 100% absorbed the beautiful scenery and spectacular views that were on offer.

Usually, a trip to Gran Canaria would consist of late nights, drinking round the clock and not seeing the daylight because you would be in your bed dying half of the day.

Times had certainly changed, of course there is drinking and eating out at a small selection of restaurants that were open, as long as you obeyed the rules and the curfew.

Yes, there was a curfew! And if I'm completely honest I loved it. Most nights I was in bed by 11pm or if not 11pm shortly after and sleeping like a baby.

The curfew did give you the chance to have a holiday that wasn't fuelled by alcohol.

My escape to the sun was now being controlled by a curfew and I loved it. It was structured, it gave me a guide to plan my day and ensured that I wasn't wasting my time, the curfew made me explore.

From witnessing the natural beauty of the dunes to ariel yoga there is so much more this island has to offer, you just have to go looking for it.

So as the shackles of lockdown lift here in Northern Ireland my advice is to go for it. Do something that you've never really allowed yourself to do, allow yourself to explore you'll not regret it.

Big thanks to all on my journey The Viv's, The Mardi Gras Team, Cheyenne's & Divinity Team, Lewis, Sean, Conor, James and Laurence

EIGHTY FIVE // GNIMAG.COM

FOOD// HOME BY NICO

HOME BY NICO // A FEW CONFESSIONS BEFORE I delve into this review, I have always wanted to dine at Six

by Nico though pre Covid I never got round to it and I have no excuse and two, fine dining is not typically my forte, let’s see if their Home offering can convert me!

In or out of lockdown we all have different loves and culinary skills, I personally love to cook though like many am constantly cooking the same dishes in rotation, when I seen Home by

EIGHTY SIX // GNIMAG.COM

Nico while scrolling through social media, I was immediately drawn to it, let’s hear about the concept.

“Nico and his team have travelled the globe to bring you the very best in world cuisine. Home

by Nico menus deliver a restaurant experience that gives you a taste of culinary delights from around the world in the comfort of your own home.

With Home by Nico being such a success,

we decided to bring our concept back even bigger than ever. Now delivering U.K. wide, we are exploring 12 new cities and preparing 12 exciting menus, each lasting for a month.

Expect your home dining experience to be rich in culture and filled with explosive flavours.

Transporting you to the delights of a new location every month, indulge yourself in an unpredictable array of dishes inspired by the culture and iconic tastes, smells and flavours

FOOD // HOME BY NICO

of each destination. Ensuring comfort is at the forefront of your experience, each monthly menu is cooked by our chefs and to be plated and enjoyed at home”.

I can’t fault the menu at all, everything was a match made in heaven which made for a perfect experience, portion size was perfect, more than enough for 2 and nothing was comprised in terms of quality and being off the vino my house made reassured me that wine which were not expecting was beautiful, like the food it didn’t last too long lol.

We collected our box rather than delivery, I must admit we were semi concerned with safety measures though any trepidations were expelled, having arrived at arrived the allotted time, I wasn’t sure what to expect though there was no waiting or queuing, all staff were masked following guidelines and there was a sanitising station – 10 points for being on the ball. I was in and out hassle free within minutes and eagerly on route home to get unboxing and planning.

With this box Nico transports us to beautiful Barcelona, on opening I was immediately impressed at how precise everything was and so well thought out, the Menu card had a step-by-step guide to follow for cooking that even a complete novice couldn’t get wrong, on the card there was a clear list of all ingredients and allergens which is perfect for anyone who can’t eat certain things though equally good for

I had so much fun, cooking and eating, you’ll see by the pics though plating up is not my strong suit though I did give it a whirl lol Six by Nico Belfast are gearing up to reopen the Belfast restaurant soon so focus will change to that shortly, keep an eye on our social media for updates. anyone who may want to recreate the dishes at the later date. And each item in the box was clearly labelled.

On the Menu was Catalan Bread, Jamon Bombas, Pork Belly for Main, sides where Patatas Bravas, Sobrasada & Chickpea Estofada and a beautiful Crema Catalana dessert.

Thank you so much for allowing us to review, it was such a pleasure and like so many we cannot wait to enjoy the full experience in the restaurant, as soon as you announce the reopening, I shall be booking a table Review by Daniel May

EIGHTY SEVEN // GNIMAG.COM

FOOD// THE GOURMET BOYS

EAT UP YER GREENS

THE GOURMET BOYS

EAT UP YER GREENS !

IN THIS ISSUE WE THOUGHT WE’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME EASY VEGGIE RECIPES WHICH WE HAVE LOVED MAKING AT HOME.

DEEP FRIED OLIVES We first encountered these little beauties in a wonderfully quirky London restaurant called Spuntino several years ago and had always wanted to recreate them at home.

How hard could it be, we pondered?

Well, as it turned out, not very!

Jones. We had just bought some celeriac, and although this overlooked ingredient isn’t the prettiest vegetable in the rack, we felt inspired to recreate this wonderfully rich and filling dish.

How’s this for minimal ingredients?

Green olives in brine from a tin or jar (stuffed with anchovies or garlic if you’re feeling adventurous!), beaten egg, flour, breadcrumbs, and oil for deep frying.

For the stew you’ll need : Olive oil, two red onions, garlic to taste, some carrots, celeriac, red wine, stock, bay leaves, rosemary, harissa, white beans (we used cannellini) rainbow chard, marmite and tomato puree.

How to make these perfect predinner snacks...

For the dumplings you need : 100g of the celeriac, 100g butter, 50g cheddar, 200g self-raising flour, thyme leaves and an egg yolk.

D OLIVES

DEEP FRIE

What a list of ingredients!! Is it worth all the faff?

Dry the olives in a paper towel, and in three separate dishes put a beaten egg, the seasoned flour, and the breadcrumbs. Coat the olives in flour, dip in the egg and cover in breadcrumbs - then repeat for an extra crispy coating. Deep fry until golden. Enjoy with your favourite cocktail - we love a dirty martini with these, just to stick with the olive theme!

Well, it’s really straightforward. While the oven is heating to 180 degrees, fry chopped onions and garlic, sliced carrots and cubed celeriac (keep about 100g of the celeriac for the dumplings). Add half a bottle of red wine (we’ve got your attention now),

CELERIAC AND RED WINE STEW WITH CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS We had an interesting conversation with the lovely Rachel from Napoleon Coffee at the Ormeau Baths (if you haven’t tried this fantastic little eatery give it a go the next time you’re passing). She recommended an amazing vegetarian cook book by Anna

EIGHTY EIGHT // GNIMAG.COM

SWEE

T POT ATO A ND

BRIE G

ALETT

E

FOOD // THE GOURMET BOYS

half a litre of vegetable stock, the herbs, seasoning and a tablespoon of harissa.

Then put your feet up for an hour while it bubbles gently away.

When the stew is reduced, add the beans, rainbow chard, two teaspoons marmite, and a squirt of tomato puree.

Make the dumplings by grating the butter, cheese and the remainder of the celeriac. Add the flour, a few thyme leaves, seasoning, and a little water. This is the fun bit – get your hands in there and mix together to form a dough. Then roll the dough into about twelve balls which you nestle on top of the stew, brush with egg yolk, and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes. Done!

Serve with greens - we used rocket dressed with mustard.

SWEET POTATO AND BRIE GALETTE This French-style tart is delicious, served either warm or cold, and couldn’t be easier to make with the minimum of ingredients. Transport yourself to sunnier climes with this cheesy galette gauloise!

Les ingrédients: Olive oil, 2 onions, 500g of sweet potatoes, ready rolled short crust pastry, a whole brie, and a beaten egg.

Et maintenant, la recette! (see what we did there?)

Ok, heat the oven to 180 degrees, and in a pan fry the sliced onions in the olive oil until golden and caramelised. Slice the sweet potatoes thinly and cook in a pot of boiling salted water for about 3 minutes until slightly tender, then drain.

Using a large dinner plate as a template, cut a circle from the pastry and spread the onion over the pastry leaving a 2cm border. Top the onion with thinly sliced brie and then get artistic! Channel your favourite abstract expressionist by creating a lovely overlapping pattern on top of the brie with the discs of potato.

When your work of art is completed to your satisfaction, brush with olive oil and season. Finally, fold the pastry border over the edges of the potatoes, brush with beaten egg and cook for about 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Et voilà! Magnifique!

W WINE STE AND RED S G IN L P CELERIAC M DDAR DU WITH CHE

SALT AND CHILLI TOFU VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH NOODLES For heaven’s sake, don’t listen to people who say tofu is bland and tasteless – it all depends on what you do with it! And

SALT AND C HILLI TOFU VEGETABLE STIR FRY W ITH NOODLE S

that super-absorbent bean curd just soaks up flavour like a sponge. Pair it with crunchy vegetables, and soft noodles, and you’re on to a winner.

You need : Sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, pak choi, carrots (ribbons) tenderstem broccoli, red cabbage (chopped), green beans, baby corn, scallions, firm tofu, salt and chilli seasoning, egg, flour, breadcrumbs, and noodles.

Now, to get all “wok-tastic”: Prepare the tofu by draining well and cutting the block into 12 to 16 chunks. Stir fry the vegetables in sesame oil for a couple of minutes until tender but still crunchy.

Just before serving, add the hoisin and soy sauce and heat through. At the same time (you might get a friend to help!) toss the tofu in flour, dip in egg, and then coat in breadcrumbs seasoned with the salted chilli. Deep fry until golden. Place on top of the vegetable stir-fry and serve with freshly cooked noodles. Chopsticks are recommended, but not mandatory!

Follow the @gourmetboys on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Email - thegourmetboys@gmail.com

EIGHTY NINE // GNIMAG.COM

REVIEW // BREW AND BAKE

BREW AND BAKE

BY DANIEL MAY LOCKDOWN HAS CONSISTED OF MILLIONS DABBLING BAKING BANANA BREAD, CAKES AND OTHER GOODIES THOUGH YOU CANNOT BEAT THE REAL THING, THIS SWEET TOOTH INSPIRED REVIEW TAKES US UP THE LISBURN ROAD TO BREW AND BAKE. SO, WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT IS THEIR STORY? We spoke to Danielle the owner to find out more...

have built a great cafe and team and hope to keep growing.”

I have wanted to open a cafe for over 10 years, I went travelling for 7 years and when I came back that’s when I took the plunge. I’m a self-taught baker, and through obsession and practice Brew & Bake has become what it is today.

Juggling a young family and new business is so challenging, but I love what we have built and can’t imagine doing anything else.

The next step in our journey would be to find a bigger space for a bakery! Watch this space.

-------------------------

“Brew and Bake is all about bakes and personalities!

Everything is made from scratch. We pride ourselves on our bakes which have proven extremely popular, especially our cinnamon rolls, all made in our tiny kitchen.

A customer once said, “the only thing better than the bakes is the people.” We love our community and have the most amazing customers. We

NINETY // GNIMAG.COM

REVIEW BY DANIEL During a lockdown, we haven’t had a lot to look forward to or smile about though an easy remedy is a treat, 2 or a box in this instance.

This will be another effortless review which will speak for itself, as someone who’s knees go weak at the smell and sight of a dessert, I was in my glory when chowing down on the goodies and even typing about this now has me licking my lips.

We reached out to arrange a review, Corinne from

Brew and Bake couldn’t have been more willing and accommodating, being keen to try their staple Cinnamon Rolls and intrigued about their other offerings we arranged a day/time and collected an amazing selection box without any hiccups.

All I can say is WOW, such a variety was provided, the box didn’t even make it home without me sneaking a quick nibble of a gooey brownie, I can still taste it now, omg!

The box included a signature Cinnamon Roll, a Milky Bar Roll, Caramelita, Salted Caramel Brownie and a wedge of Carrot Cake.

All items were delicious, perfectly baked with love, super decadent and mouth-wateringly Moorish.

I wish I had the culinary skills to bake though I much prefer eating things like this prepared by the professionals lol I had the assistance of 2 friends and not a crumb remained here is what Sharon said “I don’t have a sweet tooth though I loved the carrot cake, best I’ve ever eaten, I even saved a tiny piece for my mum and she loved it too. We will be back on Saturday for more. Thanks” Thanks so much to Brew and Bake, I cannot wait to pop in again.

Something Equally Old New Borrowed or Blue was published as part of Outwrite’s Branching Out Project which is funded by the Arts Council NI. Support the arts, get your limited edition copy now! www.rainbow-project.org/outwrite2020

TRP - Survey A5 - 15-04-21.pdf 1 17/04/2021 16:02:34

­ ­ ­ ­

a

Christmas Carol

I II IV

V

I X I IV X

XI I XI I

I