Over many years Tonic has benefited greatly from the involvement of individuals, groups and organisations working in a variety of capacities. They have helped raise awareness of our work towards supporting older LGBT+ people in a housing and wider advocacy context, as well as participating in the raising of vital funds to assist our future development.
Ambassadors are public figures who represent Tonic at private and public activities and events. They promote the work of Tonic to organisations, groups or individuals who can further benefit our work, or help raise funds in support of us. The role of Ambassador is highly respected within Tonic, and we are grateful for the ongoing care, support and commitment they pledge to us throughout their term as Ambassador.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR FIRST TONIC AMBASSADORS.
GEOFF PINE
Geoff is one of a cohort of Founders that set the intention of opening the UK’s first LGBT+ retirement community. He spent his career in the entertainment industry, setting up Productions companies across the world, and in later years trained in further education, finishing his career as Principal of a large FE college in South East London.
Now retired, he continues his work in educational consultancy, focussing on Leadership and Management and also chairs two large charities – Bird College and Festival.org.
Geoff says:
“Founding Tonic became a passion following the abhorrent homophobia experienced from within the UK’s care sector, whilst caring for my late partner.
We started working on developing the idea in 2012, and I’m absolutely delighted to see it bloom into such a vibrant, thriving community.
I’m extremely proud to become Tonic’s first Ambassador.”
In 2022, Geoff walked the Camino de Santiago in aid of Tonic Housing, raising an incredible £31,283.75 to support our vital work.
Watch Geoff’s touching story, featured on BBC news here.
DAVID CARLYLE
David is a BAFTA-nominated actor best known for his portrayal of Gregory ‘Gloria’ Finch in Russell T Davies’ multi-award winning Channel 4/HBO mini-series ‘It’s a Sin’.
The series broke the All4 streaming record, including biggest ever drama launch and most binged series ever, and notably won a National Television Award for Best New Drama.
The character ‘Gloria’ played a familiar storyline known only all too well by the Older LGBT+ community. Following homophobia and rejection from his family, Gloria flees from Scotland to London in the 80’s to live a more authentic life, and finds community at the Pink Palace - a thriving hub of Queer culture, excitement and acceptance.
After contracting HIV, Gloria feels the sting of shame and stigma, even from within his own community. He hides his symptoms and suffering from friends and loved ones from all except one, Jill. You can watch this spectacular series on 4OD here.
David first learned about our work through his husband, who works in health care. Whilst writing his thesis, “he found himself confused by what seemed like the total lack of LGBTQ+ affirmative retirement care in the UK.”
Through research, they discovered Tonic Housing, and David first visited Tonic@Bankhouse to meet our residents in May 2023 for our Honour our LGBT+ Elders Day event.
In the days that followed, David was keen to do more to celebrate, support and shout about our groundbreaking work, and was delighted to accept our invitation to become a Tonic Ambassador this summer.
David says:
“The character I played It’s A Sin was of the generation of queer people who fought hardest through the second half of the 20th Century against LGBTQ+ prejudice. They paved the way for someone like me to live openly and authentically now in 2023.
How then can it be right that as they grow older, they find themselves returning to feelings of isolation and maybe even rejection? This country needs more and more and more of Tonic’s amazing housing and the community and joy it provides for our trailblazing elders. The work that Tonic does is vital and I am proud to support and champion the UK’s first LGBT+ affirming retirement community!”
JILL NALDER
Originally from South Wales, at age eighteen Jill followed her dream and moved to London to train at Mountview Theatre School.
Russell T Davies’ multi-award winning Channel 4/HBO mini-series ‘It’s a Sin’ was based on Jill’s life; her friends and experiences in the eighties, during the height of the AIDS pandemic. She is delighted to have appeared in the series, playing the role of Christine Baxter, Jill’s mother.
Her first book, “Love From The Pink Palace” was published in June 2022 and has recently been shortlisted for the Christopher Bland Prize from the Royal Society of Literature and long-listed for the Polari Prize honouring LGBTQ+ literature.
As well as an extensive and impressive career on the West End stage, she is proud to have been one of the founders and first Chairperson of Theatre MAD: Make A Difference (FKA West End Cares). To date the charity has raised upwards of £10 million for HIV/AIDS. She is now a patron of the Sussex Beacon in Brighton and continues to fundraise for those affected by the virus.
Jill is now very proud to be an Ambassador for Tonic Housing and looks forward to working with us in the coming years.
Jill says:
“I want to support Tonic Housing because I believe it is an amazing and extremely forward thinking project. It gives those people from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, friends and families the chance to spend their later years free from judgement and stigma.
The right to be yourself and to feel relaxed, happy and being who you want to be should be a basic human right. Many older people from the community have been denied this in their younger lives and Tonic Housing means they will not be denied it in their vintage years. I love it.”
