The founder of a Liverpool awards night has responded after it was targeted online with nasty comments. Joe Hollywood, alongside Mike Skeggs, both from the Wirral, set up the LGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards to honour Drew Cockton and his legacy.
The businessman and entrepreneur owned the vegan fragrance brand Owen Drew and gained a following after appearing on Dragons' Den, where he secured a £50,000 investment from Touker Suleyman. Mr Cockton was found dead, aged 36, at his Claughton home in October 2022, just a few hours after hosting his second LGBTQ+ Business Awards ceremony at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.
Founders respond to online abuse
Mike, Drew's former business partner, and Capital presenter Joe have since hosted an annual award ceremony in his memory. However, this year, Joe has had to call out a wave of homophobic abuse directed at the North West organisation, and subsequently its awards evening.
A recent post promoting the awards was flooded with comments including “pervert award” and “mental disorder Institute”. Speaking out following the comments, Joe said: “It’s shocking that in 2026 we're still seeing LGBTQ+ people described as ‘perverts’ or as having a mental disorder simply for being who they are.
“Sadly, though, I think it reflects the state of the world we're living in at the moment. The rhetoric around our community has become increasingly hostile, and things that perhaps people once wouldn't have dared say publicly are becoming normalised again.
“These aren't just words on a screen. There are real people on the receiving end of them, and for someone already struggling with their identity or their mental health, comments like these can have a devastating impact.”
Organisation vows to stay visible
Joe shared the statement alongside a photograph of himself holding a Pride flag, taken when he came out as gay five years ago. He said the recent abuse reflects what he believes is an increasingly hostile tone towards the LGBTQ+ community, including rhetoric he has witnessed both online and within his own life.
Joe added: “The Collaborative Network exists because we recognised a genuine need for better mental health support within our community.
“We train people to recognise and respond to mental health crises, while the FLOWERS Awards simply celebrate LGBTQ+ people, allies, businesses and organisations making a positive difference. That’s the ‘agenda’.
“Being called perverts or mentally disordered for doing that is incredibly upsetting. But it also demonstrates exactly why organisations like ours, Pride and LGBTQ+ visibility are still needed.”
Despite the comments, Joe said the organisation has no intention of becoming less visible. He added: “We’ll keep doing the work. We’ll keep supporting our community. We’ll keep celebrating LGBTQ+ people. And we’ll keep being visible. Sadly, these comments have just reminded us exactly why we need to.”
The LGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards 2026 will take place on Friday, October 16 at Titanic Hotel Liverpool, celebrating LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, businesses and community organisations making a positive impact across the region.
