About Me

Hello!

Welcome to my blog. Some of you may already know me from my Twitter or Instagram accounts.

For those of you who are here for the first time, my name is Charlie Hooson-Sykes. I live in Stretford, Manchester, and I am a forty-something academic admin type who moonlights in freelance writing, events, and blogging.

My work is published on several websites and occasionally in print, I love to write about subjects from food and drink, to health and fitness, feminism and sex, and even the odd technical foray as I’m a big geek at heart.

As you may have guessed from the title of this blog, my specialist subject is alcohol, specifically gin. I’ve judged cocktail competitions, reviewed products, and often can be found running a gin tasting or two. I’m also one of five people behind the World Gin Day Manchester event.

I’m also a competitive powerlifter and often speak out about weight, body capability and exercise.

As well as writing my own blog, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to contribute to the following sites:

• The Guardian
  The Times
• I Love Manchester
• University of Manchester
• Canal Street
• I-News
• Simply Homemade
• Crafty Magazine
• Within Magazine
• 4 Manchester Women
• Vintage Manchester
• 31 Dover
• Bitten Magazine
• Tasting Britain
• I’ve also been involved in a few television programmes such as Right on the Money (BBC One), Ruth Watson’s Hotel Rescue (Channel 4), Alex Polizi – The Fixer (BBC Two), BBC Breakfast, and on a number of programmes on That’s Manchester.

I’ve appeared regularly as a gin expert, and a body postivity/acceptance advocate – I think I’m on speed dial for gin for BBC Radio! I’ve also appeared on the MTV blog, The Telegraph, Refinery29, INews, and have spoken at events, including Food & Film in Manchester.

Since the pandemic hit and lockdown became something rather normal, I’ve also started hosting weekly Monday Night Lives. These are little chats with people and producers from around the country. This is an opportunity for me, a continually nosey person, to talk to people about their stories, and to hear how the whole situation is affecting them too. I’m always looking for new people to join me, so if you like the idea, please drop me a message.

Finally, if you’d like to contact me, work with me, or have me work for you, all you need to do is drop me an email – and I’ll be in touch.