It’s often said that all the best ideas are born in bars. With the pandemic closing pubs across the country, it’s a wonder where the next great creation is going to come from.
The concept for LooseHeadz was one of many lightbulb moments flickering into life across British boozers back in 2017.
Three men were propped up at the end of the bar at Wilmslow Rugby Club when they had this crystallizing moment that stopped them mid-sip; turning their heads away from the Lions Tour on tele.
During conversation, Dave, Mark and Rob all realised that they knew someone in sport who’d had what they called a ‘life wobble’; a moment where they’d been seriously down in the dumps.
In the past, they’d tried to raise their pal’s spirit with a cold beer, a reassuring slap on the back and distracting sports talk.
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It was all they were qualified to do. And at times it did help.
But the more the trio talked about it, the more they realised that these ‘life wobbles’ were too big for a pint to fix.
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Some of these issues were serious – and maybe even had the potential to last a lifetime.
Dave, Mark and Rob knew they didn’t have the expertise to help. But they could build a network of people who did.
Co-Founder Rob Shotton
It was at that moment they launched LooseHeadz – a brand that didn’t just talk about mental health in rugby but ‘banged the drum’ as loudly as they could so it was impossible to ignore.
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The founders drew up four core aims – prevent, promote, educate and signpost issues around mental health – and partnered with some of the best wellbeing support teams in the business, bringing the toughest athletes on board as ambassadors.
The outdated concept of masculinity as stoic defiance is so deeply embedded in sport that many male athletes have kept schtum even when they’re struggling. Sometimes with tragic consequences.
“Nobody ever wants to talk about mental health,” Rob tells us.
“But we realised that needed to change. Suicide biggest killer of men under 45.
“What makes us a bit different is that we use rugby as a vehicle to inspire and educate people as to what we’re all about: Normalising the conversation and tackling the stigma.
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“We’ve got 26 ambassadors on board now. If the likes of Ugo Monye, Gareth Anscombe, Brad Shields, Josh Matavesi – these big macho characters – are saying it’s ok not to be ok, people will listen.”
One ambassador, Saracens’ Alex Lewington, says he’s “loved being involved in LooseHeadz”.
“The world is constantly evolving and providing new and challenging issues for people to deal with,” commented the winger.
“The more we talk about it, the better equipped we are to understand and combat mental health issues.”
Amber Reed, England and Bristol Bears player, has also voiced her support for the brand – labelling herself a “LooseHead and proud”.
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“I didn’t hesitate when asked to be part of the LooseHeadz movement that looks to tackle the stigma around mental health,” she added.
“LooseHeadz do a fantastic job in reaching out to the community, sharing relatable stories, and supporting those in need.”
Another big name on the roster is rugby league legend Shaun Edwards – who acts as patron of the LooseHeadz Foundation.
Another arm of the brand is the LooseHeadz Academy – which offers a membership scheme and open forum for people to talk about wellbeing with confidence.
The Academy is now home to 100 global fans who fervently believe in the LooseHeadz mission and do their bit to spread the word.
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There’s also the Partnership Programme – which sees LooseHeadz work alongside clubs at grassroots, amateur and professional level to raise awareness of just how important great mental health is – and the Wellbeing Through Sport initiative; which is designed to nurture the positive mental health and wellbeing of children through physical activities.
To make all this happen, money is generated through the LooseHeadz fashion range – which is worn by athletes right the way around the world.
“We made an effort to create some really cool clothing,” Rob explains.
“We wanted to create a really high quality range.
“With most charity t-shirts, you wear it once or twice and then it just gets left in the bottom of your wardrobe.
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“But our stuff is something people can be proud to wear.
“The logo is an ‘L’ and “H’ – made up to look like rugby posts.”
The company is currently working with as many as 62 clubs in multiple countries.
Domestically, the brand is already well-recognised. But long-term, the plan is to ‘get a LooseHead’ (a mental health support officer who champions wellbeing) inside most rugby teams.
That way, they can start to make a real difference.
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“Having a LooseHead in a team removes the stigma,” Rob informs us .
“They do different roles depending on the needs of the club, but they also create constant awareness too – spreading the world and educating people about mental health.
“There’s so much more we can do to keep normalising the conversation and we need to keep doing it.”
It’s been a busy few years since the three owners found the idea for LooseHeadz at the bottom of a pint glass. But the hard work has only just started.
With lockdown sending mental health plummeting in 2020, having the likes of LooseHeadz keeping a close eye on rugby isn’t just advantageous – it’s essential.
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“Looseheadz is not for us – it’s for everyone,” Rob says.
“We’d love to grow and expand into more rugby-loving nations beyond Britain. But right now it’s all about striking up great relationships wherever we can.
“Hopefully we can change things.
“Of course, we’ll never truly know how many people we’ve helped.
“But one thing for sure is we’ll just keep on going.”
Feature
Inside One Port Street, the luxury new skyscraper that’s the tallest building in the Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has a new luxury skyscraper, and while we’ve become pretty accustomed to seeing this pop up by now, this one’s a little different – because it’s in the Northern Quarter.
The city’s creative heartland has a new tallest building, a whopping 32-storey giant that’s home to features like a swimming and spa pool, skyline views, a state-of-the-art gym, and plenty more too.
It might sound like a new luxury hotel – but it’s actually a building that’s bringing hundreds of brand-new homes to the northern side of the city centre.
One Port Street is now open, and is the first premium residential community to open in the Northern Quarter.
Select Property’s £195m flagship development has 477 premium open-plan apartments, plus some awe-inspiring amenities for those who like the finer things in life (but don’t want to live in Deansgate Square).
Those features include a 2000 square foot swimming and spa pool that looks like a James Bond lair, with integrated changing rooms, as well as a huge state-of-the-art gym that’s free for residences, which has TWO yoga and barre studios.
You’re greeted at the entrance to the building with a 360-degree fire pit, with cosy co-working spaces and a hidden ‘Hideout’ room, which has its own projector.
The 360-degree firepitThe ‘Hideout’The One Port Street gym
There’s outside space too, including a landscaped garden and 22,000 sq ft of new public realm.
Going up to the seventh floor, you’ll find the Panganini’s resident lounge and roof terrace, named after a historic tavern that once stood nearby, with an exclusive dining room and more space for work from home days.
From open-plan apartment to communal spaces, you’ll spot artwork from independent artists and luxury finishes.
The apartments themselves have open plan layouts and the highest specification fixtures and fitting, all styled by Select Property’s in-house design team.
The huge new landmark is on Port Street, right on the doorstep of the Northern Quarter’s many bars, restaurants, gig venues, and businesses, and a short walk from Manchester Piccadilly.
One Port Street apartmentsOne Port Street apartments
Launching alongside the opening of the building is the One Port St Collective, a residents’ programme with a dedicated resident app, that gets members exclusive access to One Port St partners and curated discounts.
Adam Price, CEO, at Select Property, said: “One Port St is a major landmark for the city of Manchester, representing everything we believe modern residential living should be: design-led, community-minded and deeply connected to its surroundings and local heritage.
“One Port St is about redefining what modern rental living can be. It’s not just about beautiful apartments – it’s about how people live, connect and experience the city around them. Positioned at the gateway to the Northern Quarter, this is a place shaped by its surroundings and designed for modern city life.
“The Northern Quarter has long been the heart of Manchester’s creativity and culture, and One Port St celebrates that identity and brings something totally new to the area. With apartments now open and available to rent, and residents moving in, this is a big milestone for us and a proud moment for our entire team.”
Panganini’s resident lounge and roof terrace
Ian Simpson, Co-founding Partner, SimpsonHaugh added: “One Port St presented an opportunity to elevate residential provision in one of Manchester’s most characterful districts, creating a design that mediates between the Northern Quarter and the wider city.
“Our ambition was to create a building that respects and responds to the Northern Quarter’s rich industrial heritage. The result is an elegant landmark development that combines considered design, outstanding amenities, and enhanced public realm to form a welcoming and connected place to live, visit and enjoy.
“We’re proud to see the building now open and becoming part of the evolving story of this iconic neighbourhood.”
The building is officially open with apartments now available to rent – you can find out more HERE.
The Northern Quarter has never been fancier – One Port Street apartments are ready and waiting for you
The story behind Sâlo: the rising Georgian-born Salford artist set be one of the region’s next stars
Danny Jones
We always love stories of people moving to Manchester to be more creatively engaged, but tales of entire families relocating here for a better life and art being born out of it is something truly special – and besides her obvious talent, that’s what has attracted us and plenty others to Sâlo.
This up-and-coming Salfordian artist may have been born around the border between Eastern Europe and Western Asia during a particular fraught time for her country, but she’s been raised and moulded like so many of us by this city’s rich music culture and wider artistic heritage.
She came to the UK with her family as a baby, with her parents fleeing poverty and lingering friction in Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s, and their journey as asylum seekers eventually brought them here to the North West.
It was clear from a young age that Sâlo (short for Salome) had a gift for the piano, but it was when her family moved to the Greater Manchester area that her own interest in genres and styles began to develop. Here’s a little snippet of her recent performance at the stunning Stoller Hall.
This short video was taken from her feature in a recent episode of Manchester: Unplugged, the web series by StreamGM that launched just last year and spotlights local songwriters.
Honing in on one of her newest releases, ‘Set Me Free’, which taps into that pure love for the keys.
While this clip shows a stripped-back version of the fully-fledged electronic studio version, with production playing a key role in defining her sound, she blends everything from classical music and jazz to neo-soul as well as drum and bass.
You hear the phrase ‘genre-bending’ thrown around a lot these days, but if this mid-20s star in the making isn’t the epitome of that term, then we don’t know who is.
Speaking more about her background in the short documentary film, which aired on YouTube this week, she talks about her first memory of visiting Forsyth Music Shop in Manchester city centre, and the inspiration behind the track in question.
You watch the Sâlo episode of Manchester: Unplugged in full here.
Detailed in the description of the newest edition of the online show, “Classically trained from the age of four, Sâlo’s journey runs through some of Manchester’s most important music spaces”, including time spent at the RNCM and Chetham’s School of Music and more.
As for the tune itself, not only do the lyrics revolve around a difficult patch in a personal relationship – this being one of the first times she felt like she’s fully opened up and not held back on letting people know what she’s speaking about – but it’s also the first track she’s produced and mixed entirely on her own.
Painstakingly mastered from a small studio at home, she almost “fell out of love” with the song altogether, but getting back to that simple joy of playing piano helped revive her passion for it.
With a stunning voice, natural musical talent when it comes to her instrument, and a great blend of different analogue and digital influences, Sâlo is definitely one to watch moving forward.
The Manc -
11th February 2021 
