Champion of LGBTQ+ voices scores an MBE for ‘groundbreaking work’

Matt Cain who was born in Bury and raised in Bolton has been recognised for his services to LGBTQ+ services to culture.

This resilient writer fought to get his first novel, The Madonna of Bolton published when over 30 publishers turned it down.

Matt Cain scores an MBE

He set up a crowdfunding campaign and it eventually became a bestseller. Prior to this, Matt was Channel 4 News’s first culture editor, and editor of Attitude magazine, and he still regularly writes pieces for the Guardian.

His novels always have a northwest connection and that makes this recognition even sweeter.

Matt said: “If I wasn’t from Bolton and Bury, I don’t think I’d have got this MBE! So I’d like to thank all those readers in Bolton and Bury who’ve got behind me and opened their hearts to my books.”

One Love by Matt Cain

His latest novel One Love features Canal Street as one of its settings and it explores the past as well as the present via a time jump.

Matt uses social media extensively to connect with his readers, both old and new.

He has grafted behind the scenes for years, to tell stories about groups of people who became used to living in the shadows.

And they are now protagonists, centre stage and he is both shocked and thrilled by this honour.

Matt said: “I’m chuffed to bits with this award! I’d like to say it’s a dream come true, but the truth is it’s beyond a dream come true because when I was growing up, there was hardly any LGBTQ+ culture and what little we had was pretty much underground and undiscussed.

He added: “Even with my latest, One Love, I’ve had to fight to make sure it gets into shops and through to readers. So I didn’t for one-second dream I’d ever be awarded an MBE.

“But now all the fighting and hard work has been worth it.

“I feel valued and appreciated and even more determined to keep telling my stories!”

Manchester Pride and Albert Kennedy Trust ambassador

Matt is an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, and a patron of LGBTQ+ History Month.

 He also gives up his time to speak to students as a guest speaker at schools and colleges in the northwest, as he has never forgotten his working-class roots and the impact that hearing his accent will have on young wannabe writers from Greater Manchester.

You can read more about Matt Cain’s reaction to his MBE in his latest column for the Guardian here