Laura Lacole

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Laura Lacole
Born (1989-09-12) 12 September 1989 (age 35)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Occupation Model

Laura Lacole (born 12 September 1989) is a Northern Irish model.

Contents

In 2017, Lacole, an atheist, became the first woman in Northern Ireland to be married in a legal humanist ceremony, marrying Irish footballer Eunan O'Kane. The couple brought a judicial review to regarding Northern Ireland's treatment of humanists, which they viewed as discriminatory. [1] [2] [3]

Early career

Lacole was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her first modelling job was for a racing championship,[ citation needed ] during which she was published in motorsport magazines, including Modified Motors and Fast Car. She then modelled in Europe for racing events. At the age of 18, she worked at Paris Tuning Show and Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France as a performer.

Glamour modelling

Her modelling progressed to glamour in 2008 at the age of 19. Lacole has been published in magazines and newspapers across the world. She has featured in the Irish and UK press. [4]

She won the title of Beach Babe 2011 in September of that year.

Media appearances

Since early 2012, Lacole has been broadcast on the BBC, [5] SKY NEWS and UTV. Throughout 2012 and 2013, she was a regular contributor for broadcaster Stephen Nolan's TV and radio shows.

In September 2012, she spoke to BBC Newsnight about the 'No More Page 3' campaign, supporting the Page 3 girls. In January 2015, Lacole was a guest alongside former Home Secretary; Alan Johnson, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and former Conservative Party MP Michael Portillo on BBC One's 'This Week' programme presented by Andrew Neil where she also spoke about the topic. [6] [7] [8]

Space

In 2013, Lacole campaigned to go to space by competing in the Lynx Space Academy competition. [9] [10]

Charity

In 2010 and 2011, Lacole led the Ancestors Charity Bike Rally which delivers donated toys to children in the Ulster Hospital every Christmas. [11] [12] In 2012, she became the Northern Ireland Ambassador for the 'Male Cancer Awareness Campaign' charity and in early 2013, did her own fundraising event the 'Belfast Strut'; a 16-mile walk with 200 participants. [13] In the lead up to this event, Lacole gained the support of William and Michael Dunlop who posed with her wearing only their helmets and boots to raise awareness of the event and its cause. [14] [15] [16] [17]

Personal life

Lacole is married to footballer Eunan O'Kane. They have one son. [18]

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References

  1. "Humanist nuptials are popular in Scotland but only beginning in Ulster". The Economist . 23 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. "Footballer and model seek legal humanist wedding". The Guardian. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  3. "Humanist midfielder Eunan O'Kane to wed fiancée Laura Lacole in landmark ceremony on Thursday". Derry Journalist. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  4. "Don't assume I'm a dumb blonde just because I'm a glamour model". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  5. "Glamour model opposes topless picture demise in The Sun". Bbc.co.uk. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  6. "22/01/2015, This Week - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  7. "The Sun scraps Page 3? Belfast glamour model says it's a regressive blow to modelling industry and feminism". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  8. "Dropping page 3 a backward step". The Irish News. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  9. "Stunning glamour model Laura Lacole gets closer to her dream of going into space". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  10. "Astronaughty / Sunday World". Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  11. "Santa bikers rev up for charity toy drive". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  12. "Bikers in charity toy ride for sick children". Newsletter.co.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  13. Service, Irish news Internet. "The Irish News - Picture of the Day". Irishnews.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  14. "William & Michael strip for Testicular Cancer Awareness! - William Dunlop Racing". Williamdunlopracing.co.uk. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  15. "Dunlop brothers strip down more than bikes for charity". Newsletter.co.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  16. "TT Racing Dunlop Brothers Strip Down to Fight Testicular Cancer - Motorcycle.com News". Blog.motorcycle.com. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  17. "Dunlops strip off to help raise cancer awareness". Motorcyclenews.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  18. https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2020/january/eunan-okane-returns/