Great Exposure Photography Competition
In partnership with the Royal Photographic Society and Heathrow Airport, GREAT launched a national photography competition in October 2021, celebrating the UK’s rich cultural diversity and innovative,
welcoming spirit.
They invited photographers to submit images that captured the true spirit of the United Kingdom from across the four nations. The 40 winning entries were selected by a panel of expert judges and are on display in prominent media spaces throughout Heathrow Airport.
This project forms part of their ongoing work to refresh GREAT's imagery around the world, with the
images being seen by tens of millions of people passing through the airport each year. They hope you
agree that these images encapsulate a beautifully vibrant and modern United Kingdom, from the
perspective of its people.
For more information please see the campaign website here https://www.greatcampaign.com/heathrow
See the video from the Heathrow Express: https://youtu.be/pnwDed2wyLk
About the image: George & Somchai
At 98 years old, “the oldest gay in the village” has been with with his husband Somchai for 25 years.
Born in 1923, George Montague spent much of his life in the closet hiding his true self. He had a wife and children, was a successful businessman and had a career as a senior commissioner for disabled boys in the Scout Association, but deep down yearned for the love and affection of a man. He discovered he was gay in his 20s and led a double-life, of ignorance, intolerance and constant danger until coming out and living openly later in life.
There followed a lifetime of activism where George was influential in the campaign to ‘pardon’ Alan Turing but also in obtaining an apology from the UK Government for the historical persecution of gay men, a copy of which he read out on BBC Newsnight in April 2017.
In April 1993 George met a young Somchai in a London bar and they immediately fell in love. They moved in together and entered a Civil Partnership before converting it to a full marriage when the law allowed. Somchai has supported George’s campaigns and every year proudly accompanies him on the Brighton & Hove Pride parade with a placard reading, “I’m The Oldest Gay In The Village. I’m Gay. I’m in love. I have no regrets.”
George sadly died in march 2022, 13 months before his 100th birthday.