As I sit down in The Forbidden Fruit bar to discuss Drag with Nikki Bockerglory, or Alan as they’re otherwise known, the Spice Girls 90’s classic ‘Ah Woooo Ooo Who...Do You Think You Are’ blasts out, and I think, yeah, this feels right as a theme tune to this article: It’s about identity, integrity, your soul, it’s inviting you to step in line with who you truly are and above all, when in its midst you just can’t help but want to thrust about in platform boots and JOYOUSLY swing it, shake it, mo

“I get things done” says Dawn Dublin, as we sit down together to chat about her company, Black Butterfly. Amidst dashing outside to tell a random passer-by how cool he looks and cuddling her hot chocolate, she tells me about a phone call she’s just had on her walk here involving motherhood, miscarriage and marginalization. I can already hear the cogs whirring in her head, ideas sprouting of what she (or we as a community) can do to support people in these situations. There’s a chaos and clarity

‘This is just like any other salon’ I think to myself as I trot through the door… scissors snipping, clippers clipping, background chit chat and the underlying hum of hairdryers… but then I notice a member of staff is wearing ear defenders, and one of the little clients is what I can only describe as ‘butt-scooting’ across the floor with glee. I’ve booked into Tails of St Leonards, a local destination for pampered pets, and which this little Shih Tzu evidently thinks is the hottest place in town