Thomas Avery
Managing director, Rhubarb Property
she’s our Ambassador of Elegance. I had the privilege of starring with her in a pop video for a song called You’re There for the charity by one of our patrons, Jeff Kristian.
One of the most memorable events we’ve ever held was at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, it was in honour of a couple of amazing drag queens that we lost to cancer: Vanilla Lush and Stephen Bacon (Lady La Rue), who not only supported us, but we made him an honorary patron for the charity.
In January 2015, we got registered with the Charity Commission as a charity in our own right. And since then, we have raised more than £65,000 to help people living with cancer. All this money helps people financially while they’re going through the disease because we want it to be less of a drag than it already is. People don’t realise that when someone’s going through cancer, there is more to it than the actual illness — obviously, that’s the biggest part, but the other part is: I can’t work, I’ve got no money, I can’t pay my bills, I can’t buy new clothes. And that is something Cancer is a Drag is here to support.
Normally, it is other drag queens performing at our events, but I have just graduated from Michael Twaits’ The Art of Drag course at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, which was long delayed because of Covid. Our graduation show was to a crowd of over a hundred people and I don’t know how drag queens do it – I’m still exhausted from my performance a few days ago.
When I first went on the course, which began in January 2020, I was turning a corner and it meant something to me spiritually, emotionally, in a funny sort of way. I told myself, I’m going to treat myself since I’m now medically retired from work. I knew I wanted it to be part of my cancer journey and what I’ve been through. I don’t want to be a fulltime drag queen, I just wanted to do it and get it out of my system. But at the same time, it’s like starting afresh and when we have Cancer is a Drag events, why shouldn’t I be in drag too, rather than regular Alan Bugg in the corner?
I came out on stage lip-syncing to Shirley Bassey’s Who Wants To Live Forever, I was in a hospital gown and fluffy slippers with hearts on them and I had a metal walker, so it all felt like I was back in hospital for the audience. During the song, I disappear offstage and a screen played a series of images, including one of me in hospital totally bald and completely chemo-ed up; then an image of Ava, a little girl who was the first person Cancer is a Drag supported financially, so her and her family could go to Disneyland and who my drag name, Avaline A’Love, is in honour of; and finally, an image of me fully recovered in front of our Cancer is a Drag bus in London Pride’s march.
Backstage, I did a quick drag change and then came out lip-syncing to a female vocal version of I’m Still Standing and then I did some cheeky banter discussing my cancer journey and threw a big, heart-shaped pool ring onto someone in the audience and then gave them a charity bucket to go around the room to collect donations — we raised £181.90. To finish the show, I sang my own personal version of Love Is In The Air, in which I thank some of the people who helped me achieve my drag persona.
Our next big fundraising campaign is linked to Macmillan’s Coffee Morning charity events, which they hold every September. Anyone can host a Coffee Morning at home or any other venue and raise money to help Macmillan with their amazing work. Cancer is a Drag won’t be doing a Coffee Morning, because it’s too early in the day for drag queens, so instead we’ll be hosting our Coffee Cocktail Evening in aid of Macmillan on 6 October in The Two Brewers Backroom Show Bar with special guests Danny Beard and Son of a Tutu. And I’ll be coming out as Avaline A’Love too, to tell the tale of my drag journey.
Once you’ve had cancer, you see things completely differently and you realise how important your friends are, how important life is, how important it is to be nice to people — it’s a gamechanger.
If you or anyone you know is going through cancer then you should reach out to Macmillan Cancer Support, reach out to Cancer is a Drag, reach out to your friends and family because you don’t have to do this alone and to do this alone is impossible. We are all here to support you and it’s important that we do it together.
cancerisadrag.org Help Macmillan Cancer Support continue to do whatever it takes for people like Alan by hosting a Coffee Morning this September. Sign up at macmillan.org.uk/coffee
“REACH OUT. WE ARE ALL HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT TOGETHER”
Buying and selling property should be an easy and comfortable process for everyone, according to Thomas Avery, managing director of Rhubarb Property, which he founded after acquiring experience elsewhere in the industry. As well as selling and letting properties, the agency offers services including interior design and property managment. Here, Avery tells us how he set up the business in the middle of a financial crisis, how he’s adapted to the pandemic, and he talks about casual homophobia at work.
Why the name Rhubarb?
When I set up the business in 2008, I was working for an agent and decided to give it a shot on my own, which probably wasn’t the best idea, but it turned out to be quite a good time to move. I was in the car one day and just randomly came up with the name Rhubarb. It’s one of those names that you either love or hate, but you don’t really forget.
Fair enough! What got you started in property?
I’ve always been interested in property. My uncle is an estate agent. I like nosing around people’s houses — I like the interiors and the architecture. I worked for an agency for about three years in Birmingham. There was an incident where I had to deal with a young single mum from France moving into a property with her two kids and it wasn’t ready for her. The landlord wasn’t helpful at all. I just thought I could do a better job.
What was it like setting up Rhubarb during the financial crisis?
I was keen to put my own stamp on the service I could provide, and thought I’d take a risk. I had good connections with clients and in the property industry and I thought, I’m just going to give this a shot. In Birmingham at the time there were a lot of new-build properties, and a lot of people moving into the city. Although there was a recession, the lettings market was and always has been relatively stable.
What did you learn from that?
As much as I love working in the property industry, being self-employed and having to deal with all aspects of business, whether it be accounting, where to register your business name, general tax enquiries, all sorts of things, is hard and I learned as I went along — I’m still learning today. It’s been an interesting process. It’s difficult at times if you don’t have anyone to fall back on, but you do reap a lot of benefits at the same time.
And you’ve got a team now?
Yes, we’ve just moved into two new office premises. We broke into the London market in 2016. We have a team of seven guys up in Birmingham and there’s three of us down here [in London].
How have you found working during the pandemic?
It’s been a massive shock to the system. We had to make a lot of changes quickly. The furlough scheme helped us massively for a short period. But it was one of the first industries that had restrictions lifted so people were able to move house. I had to carry on working, although mainly from home. It’s been a very interesting time adapting to virtual viewings and videos. The market’s unpredictable at times but the lettings market ticked over, as it always has done. People’s priorities and what they expect now are a lot different — they are looking to move closer to green spaces. It’s been challenging, but I think the [hardest part] is actually going to be coming out of the pandemic.
What concerns do you have?
Mainly just an increase in overheads and generally having to monitor how people work in the office and from home. We’re still — I feel — in a relatively grey area in terms of how things are going to be. But I think we’re able to adapt and change along with how society moves forward. It’s also a creative opportunity to look at how we run our business and how we provide services [in the future].
Do you see some of those changes, such as virtual viewings, sticking around?
I think so, depending on the property, where the property is and who you’re aiming it towards. Some people will take a standard one- or two-bedroom apartment just by video. But others, especially when buying a family home, will still want to view it in person.
What do you think sets Rhubarb apart from other agencies?
We deal with all types of property services. We do interior design, investments, sales, and property management. It’s definitely down to the personalised service we can provide. We can be as bespoke as any of our clients wants us to be. It’s about thinking outside the box and being more creative with the service we can provide. Interiors has been an avenue that Rhubarb Property has recently gone down. Called Sell Buy Design, the team on this side of the business have put together some really creative and interesting furniture packs that have helped many achieve real value for their property. This has also captured a more diverse clientele, too, especially among the gay community. A lot of our landlords are gay, and I think that is because they know I am.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
To always listen and not to force your opinion or too much of a pitch onto people. People like to be listened to and to feel comfortable that they’re dealing with someone that actually understands them.
What’s the best business advice you would pass on to someone else?
To not take things too personally, try not to let work overrule your life, and be as confident as you can be and believe in yourself.
Has being gay impacted your career at all?
I’d say it probably has. [There hasn’t been] any particular homophobia as such, but I do think there has been an element of that in terms of when a client is choosing me personally. It’s quite a masculine industry and there’s that slick, suited-and-booted
“I was keen to put my own stamp on the service that I could provide”