IAN Brooke still looks over his shoulder when walking along a street when his husband takes his hand.
The 42-year-old does it instinctively to see who might be there, partly for their own safety, but he longs for the day when a same-sex couple can hold hands and it be accepted as the norm.
It’s why the owner of Glasgow’s Brawsome Bagels has just held a fundraiser to help support the work of LGBT Youth Scotland – a charity which hopes to make Scotland the best place to grow up for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex young people.
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Through their customers, Dumbarton Road’s Brawsome Bagels have been able to donate more than £600 from the proceeds of rainbow inspired bagels which were also brought out to coincide with last weekend’s Glasgow Pride event.
Mr Brooke is a former fashion photographer turned bagel connoisseur is on a mission to do as much as he can to support the LGBTQIA+ community in Glasgow and beyond through his business.
Brawsome Bagels rainbow inspired bagel
And it’s been a cause close to his heart as LGBT Youth Scotland was a charity which a late friend was a supporter of. The fundraiser is in part in memory of Mr Brooke’s friend Gary who was passionate about making Scotland the best place for young LGBTQIA people to grow up.
Mr Brooke was delighted to be able to help the charity make a difference and it comes just days before Brawsome Bagels celebrates its first anniversary since opening on July 28, 2021.
While it has been a challenging year opening up a new business the past few days have proved even more so. The shop had to temporarily close its doors due to Covid which was disheartening coming at a time when Mr Brooke was trying to help raise funds and also awareness.
“We wanted to create a business where people felt safe and welcome,” said Mr Brooke. “When I was growing up in terms of employment you fall into the cliched retail or fashion industry which are all great career choices and they appeared to be the safest environments as they used to be the most forward thinking, but what we are trying to do is help people to understand it is not just fashion or hairdressing, bakery and food shops can be LGBT owned as well and safe spaces.”
Ian Brooke owner of Brawsome Bagels hopes fundraiser will also increase awareness of LGBT Youth Scotland
Mr Brooke believes that visibility is the key to moving forward and supports LGBT Youth Scotland’s ethos that you can go into any career.
“I am 42 now but when I was younger there wasn’t that many LGBT people on TV that I could look up to and aspire to outside what I what call very camp and showy individuals – great entertainers but not typical Joe on the street. I think we need to see more accurate representation.”
The former head baker at Bross Bagels in Edinburgh developed his patisserie and baking skills over the years and since moving to Glasgow in 2020, it gave him the drive to open his open shop, and from the outset there was non-negotiables for him such as signing up to the Living Wage, currently £9.90 for someone over the age of 18, and using Scottish produce or suppliers.
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He added: “It was really important to me that we were Living Wage accredited from the outset. I did it from day one as I budgeted to do that. I do not believe that in any way, shape, or form that any business cannot offer a Living Wage. If I can do it from start up anyone can do it.
“In terms of suppliers and products our flour and oil are Scottish, our sugar is UK and as much as I can I like to use local produce and suppliers.”
Glasgow Raptors RFC helped to launch the fundraiser. Left to right Sheldon Fish, Rodrigo Sollberger ,William Lang of Glasgow Raptors RFC, Ian Brooke owner of Brawsome Bagels, Marc Wood, Ross Lockerbie, and Jamie Murray of Glasgow Raptors RFC with
As Scotland’s national charity for LGBTI young people, they working with 13 to 25-year-olds across the country and deliver the LGBT Charter programme to schools, organisations and businesses.
Mr Brooke added: “It’s important to me and the team that we show support for our own community from a grass-roots level. It made sense, during Pride more than ever before, to not only use our platform to spread the message of inclusivity, but to also raise much-needed funds for young LGBTQIA+ people.
“Even if one person coming to terms with or having difficulty with their sexuality or might getting bullied or having a difficult time at home needs the support of the charity then it is a good thing to have highlighted.”
Dr Mhairi Crawford, CEO of LGBT Youth Scotland, said they are grateful for the support from Mr Brooke and the team at Brawsome Bagels.
“What an inventive and delicious way to raise much needed funds for our work with young people in Scotland,” Dr Crawford.
“It’s thanks to the support from local businesses like Brawsome Bagels that we can continue to support thousands of young people each year to help them reach their full potential and thrive.
“We’re on a mission to make Scotland the best place for young people to live, love and work and everyone buying a bagel this Pride season will help make this happen.”
For more information on the charity go to https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/
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