We Built This City

How does Mr Gay UK become Manchester’s first openly gay Lord Mayor? From hot pants to regal robes, Carl Austin-Behan’s uniform has changed a lot over the years – but his values have always stayed the same.

 

In his own words: “You can be anything – and if someone sows a seed, let it grow”.

 

We Built This City is a series of conversations with some of the amazing Mancunians - born, bred or adopted – who put the heart into modern Manchester. A celebration of the human grit, determination and love found throughout the city, these episodes will lift you up, make you laugh and inspire you to leave our city in a better place.

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To lose his career, his home and his family, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Carl had done something terrible to warrant such pain. The truth of the matter however, is that he was just trying to live his true, authentic life.

Carl’s story is one of bravery. From the heroic act of throwing himself into a burning plane to save his team member, to the more personal, daily acts of bravery that come with being a gay man (and yes, that does include wearing a pair of hot pants to walk up Deansgate!)

In this podcast we discover proof that, no matter what you’re going through, things always get better.

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Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre. From that point, the business, and its team members, have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture. 

 

To celebrate the 24 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa is gathering together some of her Mancunian ‘family’ and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best city in the world.

 
 

 

Connect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield:

Via Phone: 01612361122

On Twitter 

On Spotify 

 

Connect with Carl: