Latest news with #FraserPenman
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Albino Scots hypnotist backs SCIAF campaign to help Africans with condition
Fraser Penman is taking time out to back SCIAF's summer campaign to support people with disabilities. A Lanarkshire hypnotist described as 'Scotland's answer to Derren Brown' is using his experience of Albinism to help those affected by the condition in some of the poorest parts of the world. In the run up to his new headline show at the Edinburgh Fringe, mind reader Fraser Penman is taking time out to back SCIAF's summer campaign to support people with disabilities. In Scotland, one in 17,000 have Albinism, but in Malawi, where SCIAF works, it's one in 130. They may have been born more than 8,000 miles apart but Fraser and Baison Makolopa have more in common than you would think. Both hid from their genetic condition, albinism, and felt isolated from their communities. And both turned their lives - and fortunes - around to live life to the full. Fraser, 30, grew up in East Kilbride and still lives in the South Lanarkshire town. He was bullied at school when he was just eight-years-old 'because he was different', culminating in a violent gang attack when he was a teenager. Half a world away in southern Malawi, Baison Makolopa, 36, Baison has faced unimaginable challenges, even facing attempts on his life. He's one of almost 140,000 people in Malawi living with albinism – a condition that affects his vision and puts his skin at risk in the hot African sun. The brutal stigma around his condition almost cost Baison his life when attackers got into his home during the night. Fortunately, he escaped just in time before the intruders found him. Baison said: 'When I was attacked, I remember it was night-time, and I was sleeping. I heard people pushing open the door – there were people in my house! 'My house has two doors and so, by the time the attackers had got in, I was able to sneak out the other door. I was so scared and had many sleepless nights afterwards.' In Malawi, people with albinism can face extreme discrimination, isolation, and violence – and often extreme poverty. Harmful superstitions, like the belief that body parts from people with albinism bring luck, fuel violent attacks, leaving them vulnerable and afraid. Baison has found support in an unlikely place in Scotland. The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), through their local partner in Malawi, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), has provided skills training and grants to people like Baison, to help them develop their own business. This then enables people with albinism to earn a living and lift themselves out of poverty. They're also helping change attitudes in communities, working with people like Baison, the police, teachers, and leaders to fight stigma, prevent violence, and bring perpetrators to justice. Baison turned his life around after he first came into contact with SCIAF's partner, adding: 'They challenged us to believe in ourselves and encouraged us to start a business, so I started selling rice. Slowly, the business began to grow. Then I opened this shop.' Fraser says he's proud to support SCIAF's work with people with disabilities, including Albinism. He added: 'I love that SCIAF gives people the opportunity to believe in themselves and achieve their dreams by providing them with a pathway to unleash their imagination. 'I want to make a difference drawing on the struggles I had when I was younger. 'I am so proud to be associated with this campaign. SCIAF aligns with my mission in life which is to help anyone, no matter if they have a disability or not, to become the best version of themselves.' Donating to SCIAF's Dignity for All Appeal couldn't be simpler. It only takes a couple of minutes to donate at To give £5 you can text SCIAF to 70480 or to give £20 you can text SCIAF to 70450.
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hypnotist cures people's fears of spiders and snakes at live event
Fraser Penman, known as 'Penman: The Imaginator' teamed up with indoor rainforest Amazonia. A Lanarkshire hypnotist and mind reader who was inspired by Derren Brown to launch a stage career has helped people to cure their fear of exotic spiders and snakes. Fraser Penman, from East Kilbride, delivers a unique brand of hypnosis, mind reading and comedy despite having impaired vision. The 30-year-old recently teamed up with Amazonia, Scotland's indoor rainforest that is home to a range of exotic creatures, to perform the unique one-off live event. Known as 'Penman: The Imaginator', he used innovative visualisation techniques to help members of the public to face their fears head on. After spending just a few minutes with them, Penman performed rapid, instant hypnosis inductions to help them handle a royal python called Eva and a Chile rose tarantula named Val – creatures they were convinced they could never face. The special event held at the Alona Hotel at M&D's Scotland's Theme Park, was one of a series of high-profile stunts that Penman will be doing around the country, ahead of his headline show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Lewis Thomson, 32, from East Kilbride, who had a fear of snakes, was so excited when his fear disappeared that he said he felt like 'Ace Ventura', the Jim Carey pet detective in the hit Hollywood film. He said: 'When I was hypnotised it was so calming, it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. You become the best version of yourself, and it gives you a renewed sense of confidence. 'I thought snakes were horrible and the thought of even going near one filled me with dread. I can't believe I had one around my neck.' Wendy Gifford, Glasgow, 56, was unable to go even a few feet near the tarantula. However, after being hypnotised, she was brave enough to stroke the spider and now wants one as a pet. She said: 'I was aware something was going on when I was hypnotised, it was like being in my own wee world and all I could hear was Fraser's voice. 'Even small spiders made me terrified, they made my skin crawl. I was always that person who was never going to be hypnotised. But after spending just a few minutes with Fraser my fears gradually disappeared and I'm now considering having a spider, such as a Tarantula, as a pet.' Amazonia, based at Strathclyde Park, is a temperature-controlled tropical house, home to over 60 different species, including monkeys, parrots, snakes, frogs, tarantulas and scorpions. Penman said: 'Using unique psychological techniques, I wanted to share with others the gift I have of being able to transfer your mindset like I did for myself to make life-changing outcomes. 'What better way to demonstrate my ability than to take exotic creatures most people have a fear of and seeing their shift in mindset go from panic to calm while holding these beautiful animals? 'Your mind is like a computer and the techniques I use is like giving it an update, such as you no longer have a fear of spiders or snakes. 'I've been exploring a bold, unconventional approach - something rarely attempted before to eliminate fear almost instantly. Using rapid, hypnosis inductions to bypass the slow descent into a deep trance, I can access the subconscious mind almost immediately - faster and more directly than traditional methods allow. Amanda Gott, manager of Amazonia, said: 'I don't fancy being put to sleep myself. But it was amazing to watch Fraser's live performance, it's incredible that someone can be cured of their fears within just a few minutes. 'It was fascinating to see how calming Fraser was with those taking part and the sensitive way he dealt with the tarantula and royal python. Many people come to Amazonia with preconceptions that all the creatures here are scary and strange, but at our education sessions we try and combat that.' Penman's Fringe show at the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh gives a revealing insight into how the coping mechanism he initially used to deal with his limited sight has heightened his other senses, allowing him to perform numerous breathtaking stunts. He was born with Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) - the most severe form of the condition. The congenital disorder affects just one in 20,000 people and means he lacks pigment in his skin, hair and eyes as well as having a visual impairment. Penman, who describes himself as a 'psychological influencer', has hypnotised Pop Star Callum Beattie, some of Scotland's top TikTok social media influencers and renowned Scottish comedian Gary Faulds. With more than 2.5 million views on TikTok, he is determined to change the perception of those with albinism, and hopes his Fringe stage show will act as an inspiration for people with the condition. Penman added: 'When I was training to be a primary teacher in my twenties I was inspired by Derren Brown's storytelling and showmanship, I must have watched a DVD about hypnosis a thousand times. Once I read a few books and looked into the neuroscience behind it I realised that I had the ability to hypnotise someone almost instantly. It was like having a superpower, I was blown away. 'I had a difficult childhood growing up with albinism, so having this gift has allowed me to turn around my life and chase my dreams of one day having my own residency at Vegas. 'Many people with albinism are confined to the house wearing dark glasses but I'm determined to change that perception. I want to inspire others to show they have more within them than they may realise.' For the past six years, Penman has been holding down two jobs while honing his craft with performances at venues around the UK. His new Fringe show is the first time it will be performed before audiences in Scotland. Penman said: 'The show takes the audience on an innovative journey through my life while delivering a Vegas-quality entertainment experience. If you think you've seen a hypnosis show, then think again. Expect summer anthems and countless moments of unbelievable, impossible possibilities live in front of your very eyes, with a very special message for the audience to take away to help inspire their own life." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Scottish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I'm a fear expert, here's how to cure your worst phobias
Scroll down to see how to get your hands on tickets WIN TICKETS I'm a fear expert, here's how to cure your worst phobias A TOP hypnotist is holding a special event to help cure Scots of their phobias. Fraser Penman from East Kilbride, was training to be a primary school teacher when he became obsessed with Derren Brown. Advertisement 1 Fraser Penman is performing this week And since discovering his hypnotic talents, he's been performing as Penman — The Imaginator. The psychological influencer will now hold a special event on Thursday to help terrified folk get over their fears of things like spiders and snakes. He uses innovative visualisation techniques to change your mindset in just a matter of minutes. By speaking to your subconscious on a deeper level, the certified hypnotherapist and mind reader can help you face your fears head on. Advertisement And we have 17 pairs of tickets up for grabs for the event. Fraser, 30, said: "Everybody can be hypnotised, it's just to what degree. 'They say younger people are more susceptible, but I've had 70-year-old women giving it laldy on the stage. 'Being hypnotised feels like the air that you breathe. It's different for everybody. Advertisement "But the best way to describe it is like you're almost daydreaming.' To be in with a chance of winning one of 17 pairs of tickets to the show, at the Alona Hotel, next door to Amazonia at M&Ds, simply answer the following question. People say I'm not fit to be a mother after 'abandoning' my sick child for 6 months - but I have an extreme phobia What is Arachnophobia a fear of? A. Snakes Advertisement B. Spiders C. Birds Email your answer and your name, address and daytime contact number to win@ Please put FRASER PENMAN in the email subject header. Competition closes at 2pm tomorrow, May 28. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I thought Derren Brown was fake until I copied him and made someone pass out, says albino hypnotist
HYPNOTIST Fraser Penman thought Derren Brown was faking it - until he had a hairy moment when he copied the TV sensation's techniques and made someone pass out in a barber shop. The 30-year-old from East Kilbride, was training to be a primary school teacher when he became 'fascinated' with the Londoner's mind control techniques. 3 Fraser Penman, who is known as The Imaginator. Credit: ANDY BARR 3 Fraser as a youngster growing up in East Kilbride with his big brother and poster for his new Edinburgh Fringe show. 3 Fraser puts Scottish Sun man Harry in a trance to help him get over his fear of spiders. Credit: ANDY BARR And after becoming hooked on Derren's Channel 4 shows, including The Experiments and The Specials, he would discover first hand that the telly mentalist was the real deal. He says: 'I've always been fascinated by Derren Brown - he has been a massive inspiration. 'I had no idea how he could influence the mind or change people's perception or the use of autogenics, which is a fancy way of saying a shift in mindset. 'He could make people believe or see or do the most incredible things simply by talking to them or looking at them.' He adds: 'So I got intrigued and discovered that there was this thing called hypnosis. And like everybody else, I thought, there's no way this is true. 'That was until I took a deep dive into the neuroscience behind it and I fell in love with it and taught myself about hypnosis through books and DVDs, which I watched a thousand times. 'Then one day I was in the barber shop getting a haircut and they were speaking about hypnosis and I piped up 'I'm a hypnotist' even though I'd never hypnotised a person in my life. 'I repeated what I'd learned from the DVD and this person dropped like a fly, unconscious, right in front of me. 'Inside my head, I'm thinking, 'oh my goodness, this crap works'. 'I quickly counted to three and woke that person straight back up. But that was the turning point for me.' Fraser now calls himself a psychological influencer and goes by the stage name Penman - The Imaginator, playing to audiences across the UK, US and beyond, while he will also be staging a special performance on Thursday May 29 at Alona Hotel by M&D's Theme Park in Lanarkshire. But not only did hypnotism change his career path, he also credits it with saving his life. Fraser, who grew up in the new town with folks Christne and Brian, both 63, and big brother Ross, 33, endured years of vicious bullying as a kid after being born with oculocutaneous albinism, which means he has no pigment in his skin and eyes. He explains: 'As you can tell by the bright white hair, I am albino, but I have the most severe level of albinism which means I'm visually impaired and cannot see enough to drive. 'Growing up, kids can be cruel. I experienced both physical and mental bullying from the age of eight 'Then when I was 14 I was attacked by a group of youths and kicked down a flight of stairs. 'It was at that point I didn't want to be part of society anymore. I put on fake tan and dyed my hair jet black - basically, I wanted to be anyone but me. 'Being bullied for something that was outwith my control was really hard to accept. It never left me.' He added: 'The reason I wanted to go into education was to make a difference for any other kids who were different. 'But then I was diagnosed dyslexic. It left me questioning, where do I belong in this life? 'I actually got so anxious and depressed that I was three days away from wanting to take my own life. 'But it was through the use of self-hypnosis that I gave myself one suggestion, which was 'you are enough.' 'The next day, I woke up, shaved off all my black hair, binned all my make-up and fake tan, walked to the shop in shorts, not caring how pale I looked. 'Fast forward six years, I'm now a certified clinical hypnotherapist, have performed in America and about to do a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe.' It's unlikely Fraser would ever be bullied now as he has sprouted into a lean, 6ft 5in, fighting machine as he's also a black belt in Taekwondo. Although he insists he's never had to use martial arts in self-defence, joking: 'There's no need to lift my hands. All I have to do is just click my fingers and put someone to sleep.' So can he hypnotise anyone? He replies: 'Yes, everybody can be hypnotized, it's just to what degree. 'They say younger people are more susceptible to it, but I've had 70 year old women giving it laldy on the stage. THE IMAGINATOR PUTS SUN MAN HARRY UNDER HIS SPELL HARRY is more of a Marv when it comes to spiders - emitting a piercing scream like the Home Alone villain during his close encounter with a tarantula. Actually he ends up turning the air blue when asked to get up close to a hairy arachnid at Amazonia in the M&D's theme park. Scottish Sun reporter Harry Williamson, 25, says: 'My normal stress level when it comes to spiders is around seven out of 10. 'The closer I got to the tarantula I would say that shot up to about nine out of 10.' But with a snap of Fraser's fingers, and some words of encouragement, Harry was then asked to pretend he was tickling the eight legged beastie like it was his bestie. Suddenly he is no more afraid of the Mexican Fireleg Tarantula than a domestic moggy. Fraser asks: 'And how do you feel now?' Harry beams: 'I feel fine. No fear at all.' But all that was about to change in an instant, with another click of the fingers, Harry is back in Marv mode again, jumping out of his skin, while screeching: 'Ya b*****d!' So what did it really feel like to be under the spell of Penman - The Imaginator? Harry explains: 'It was weird but everything that was done felt like instinct, as if it was the right thing to do.' Fraser adds: 'You never do something under hypnosis that you don't want to. But Harry will feel very relaxed now. Put it this way, he will sleep well tonight.' Unless he dreams about big hairy spiders. 'Being hypnotised feels like the air that you breathe. There's no pixie dust, magic potions or lotions. It's different for everybody. But the best way to describe it is like you're almost daydreaming.' Fraser is glad he embraced his albinism as it also means with his build and shock of white hair, he really stands out amongst other stage hypnotists. He says: 'Someone once told me, to be successful, you either have to be the first to do something or do something different. So why not be the most unique? 'Long gone are the days of fitting in society. I've decided standing out is pretty cool.' Fraser is now determined to follow in Derren's footsteps, as he continues to grow his fanbase and reputation. He says: 'Of course, I would love to be headlining in Vegas like Derren, but my main ambition is to put a modern twist on an age-old art. 'I want to make hypnosis and the psychology elements of what I do, approachable for all. DO you have a fear of spiders or snakes? If you do and want to beat it, then you can win a place at an EXCLUSIVE Scottish Sun event with Fraser Penman on May 29, from 10am to noon. Fraser uses innovative visualisation techniques to change your mindset in just a matter of minutes. By speaking to your subconscious on a deeper level, the certified hypnotherapist and mind reader can help you face your fears head on. To be in with a chance of winning one of 25 pairs of tickets to the show, at the Alona Hotel, next door to Amazonia at M&Ds, Strathclyde Country Park, simply answer the following question and tell us what you are afraid of. What is the full name of the 2006 movie starring Samuel L Jackson? A. SNAKES ON A PLANE B. SNAKES ON A CHAIN C. SNAKES ON A DRAIN Email your answer – along with the thing you are afraid of – and your name, address and daytime contact number to win@ Please put FRASER PENMAN in the email subject header. *Competition closes at midnight tonight. UK residents only, excluding any employees and their families or anyone professionally connected with this promotion. One entry per person. 25 winners will be selected at random from all entries received after the closing date. The prize is a pair of tickets to the Fraser Penman event on May 29, 10am-noon, at the Alona Hotel. Entrants must be over 18. No cash alternative will be offered. Prize is non-transferable. The Scottish Sun is under no liability whatsoever in connection with any loss, damage or injury which is suffered as a direct or indirect result of the prize. Usual rules apply. Editor's decision is final. 'The days of swinging a watch in someone's face while wearing a three piece suit are gone. I want to inspire people to believe in themselves and their dreams - to unleash the superhero within you.' And his new show called You is all about that. He says: 'This is something that's never been done before. It will be the biggest summer anthem party, without the drugs or alcohol, and taking hypnosis and mentalism and completely flipping it on its head. 'I wouldn't say I'm a poster boy for albinism, but I definitely want to inspire anybody who faced barriers in life as I did.' *Penman – The Imaginator – YOU is on at The Gilded Balloon from July 30 to August 24.
