Pride Month: Kiera and Aimie Lawlor-Skillen, Feel Good Club, Manchester

The story of Feel Good Club

Born out of Kiera’s own struggles with an eating disorder, Feel Good Club started with an Instagram page full of their trademark quotes and the pair making hand-printed merch in their bedroom. What initially started as a platform to speak openly about struggles soon snowballed into a fully fledged brand for the duo. Following their marriage in 2019, they fully committed to the project and opened their flagship cafe in the recently restored Hilton House. Refusing to be deterred by a global pandemic and months of lockdown, Feel Good Club soon returned to where it all began and started hosting weekly live streams on Instagram around mental health and self-care – with guests ranging from fitness instructors to wellbeing coaches.

Beyond the cafe’s versatile offering of brunch, coffee and cocktails, Kiera and Aimie also regularly invite vendors from the local foodie scene to host pop-ups in their space – recently, Rainy City Ramen Club have been serving up steaming bowls of plant-based noodles from the kitchen. Supporting others is at the heart of the couple’s ambition for Feel Good Club and all staff members are professionally trained to provide mental health support (alongside caffeine) to patrons. Everyone attending the venue is encouraged to open up and share how they’re feeling, something that is a first on the Manchester hospitality scene. Through both the online platform and coffee shop, the couple’s goal is to spread happiness and equip their community with the tools to become the best versions of themselves.

Bringing positivity to the people of Manchester

To sprinkle some positivity throughout their local community, Kiera and Aimie also took to the streets of Manchester, plastering giant posters all over the area which were emblazoned with uplifting messages. Utilising billboard spaces throughout the city, provided by agency Jack Arts, the pastel poster campaign was all about ensuring that the people of Manchester know that they’re not alone and the pair also handed out envelopes with inspiring handwritten quotes to lucky passers-by. With an epidemic of loneliness on the rise in the UK, Feel Good Club is all about encouraging connections – the cafe even has a permanent seating area for those who wish to chat to a total stranger in a safe environment. If you fancy making someone else’s day, the cafe offers a pay-it-forward scheme so someone in need can enjoy a coffee, too. 

Bespoke events tailored to the LGBTQ+ scene

From lifting everyone’s spirits with their monthly ‘Positive News’ round-up to offering a vibrant roster of events from their cafe tour-de-force, Kiera and Aimie have quickly become popular names on the hospitality scene. The couple often speak candidly about their pride at being business owners from the LGBTQ+ community – and last year even saw the pair crowned as Overall Winners at the LGBTQ+ Business Awards. Keen to offer an inclusive events programme, they have recently announced a series of speed dating events that are each focused on a different group within the LGBTQ+ community. First up is Aphrodite, an event for the ‘femmes, themes and lesbians,’ which promises a shake-up to traditional speed-dating with games, prizes and plenty of laughs. 


Other community events include a monthly music night, LOUDER, which celebrates female, gender minority and LGBTQ+ artists. For Pride celebrations, the couple have historically gone all out with a packed line-up of events, including a quiz themed around gay icons and eclectic DJ sets. Last year, their indoor greenhouse space was transformed into the ‘Queen House,’ providing a safe space for individuals to meet like-minded people before they head off to dance the night away in the Village. And it isn’t just the LGBTQ+ community that benefit from Kiera and Aimie’s warm hospitality at Feel Good Club – other groups such as The Sober Girl Society regularly use the space for their mixers. There’s also Freelance Friday events, which welcome self-employed people to work, network and enjoy the space.

As well as leading the charge on the LGBTQ+ hospitality scene, the dynamic pair are also transforming the way we view food and drink venues in general. You can follow their Instagram at @wearefeelgoodclub to find out more.

As part of Dish Cult’s Pride month celebrations, we are proud to be supporting Stonewall – the largest LGBTQ+ charitable organisation in Europe. Stonewall work in each nation of the UK and stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace people everywhere.

Stonewall’s campaigning work drives positive change in public attitudes and public policy, helping transform the day-to-day experience of all LGBTQ+ people. The work continues until the world we imagine is the world we live in.

If you can imagine a world where there is freedom, equity and limitless potential for every LGBTQ+ person – stand with us. Donate to Stonewall now.

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