St Bride's opens doors for World AIDS Day
WORLDS AIDS DAY, the international campaign to remember those who have died from AIDS related illness or are living with HIV, will be commemorated at a city centre church with a special service and a community testing drop-in.
A huge red ribbon will decorate the columns at the front of the church, created by Richard Popplewell, an artist from the St Bride’s community
A screening of the short film Now+then: three decades of HIV in Merseyside produced by the Sahir House HIV charity, which includes Cate Jacobs, a member of the St Bride’s community, sharing her story as a person living with HIV.
Lighting candles of pain for those we have lost and hope for those who are left
A poem written for World AIDS Day by Cate Jacobs, who is also a published poet
Silence and meditative chant
Red ribbons will be available for those who wish to wear one as a sign of support for those living with HIV.
Everyone is welcome to attend, especially people living with HIV and those who care for them, and those who mourn lost loved ones.
On Monday 1st December, the official date for World AIDS Day, St Bride’s is open from 12-3pm for a drop-in session, with specialist community HIV Nurses on hand to offer friendly and confidential advice on sexual health and provide a free HIV test.
This is the last in a series of community drop-in HIV testing sessions across the city centre run in partnership with Liverpool Community Health (LCH) NHS Trust’s specialist HIV Nursing Service and the Armistead Centre HIV prevention and sexual health promotion service.
The aim is to increase the awareness and acceptability of HIV testing, and to encourage everyone who is sexually active and feels that they may be a risk of having contracted the virus to get tested in order to improve early diagnosis, treatment of HIV and reduce onward transmission.
Robert Downes, HIV Nurse at LCH said ‘We know that early diagnosis and treatment is vital, it leads to improvement in quality of life and reduces the risk of it being transmitted to others. The majority of people who are living with HIV and follow the recommended advice about treatment live healthy lives and have close to normal life expectancies.’
Martin Fenerty, Manager of the Armistead Centre said ‘The free test involves a Specialist Nurse taking a blood sample from the arm; it’s quick and relatively painless. The result will be available in one week, when the patient will be contacted with the result and offered further support if necessary.’
Cate Jacobs, who is a church warden at St Bride’s and a service user and volunteer at Liverpool HIV charity Sahir House, said, ‘The acceptance and inclusivity of St Bride’s is a really important when people living with HIV can still experience judgment or feel silenced within faith communities.’ (Click here to hear Cate speak of her experience of living with HIV).
Rev. Guy Elsmore, Rector of St Bride’s Church, said: ‘The heart of Christianity is welcome for everyone, and a celebration of the rich diversity and giftedness of all God’s people. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reach out to those whose lives are impacted by HIV in solidarity and understanding.’
More than 500 in Liverpool are living with diagnosed HIV, according to Liverpool Community Health. There are now more than 100,000 people with HIV in the UK – three times as many as there were ten years ago – and a quarter of those people don't know they have it.
Statistics for Merseyside in 2013 issued by Sahir House:
119 individuals were new to HIV services
41% of new infections were through heterosexual sex – a 23% increase on the previous year
Among new cases, 21% were aged between 15-24 years – a higher proportion than the national average
8% of new cases were among the over 50s - a 44% increase on the number seen in the previous year
In total 1,026 Merseyside residents were accessing treatment for HIV – a 4% increase on the previous year
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). The first one was held in 1988.
The red ribbon is the the international symbol of HIV, worn as a sign of support for people living with and affected by HIV, and remembrance of those who have died. Wearing a red ribbon for World AIDS Day is a simple and powerful way to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV and AIDS that prevents us from tackling HIV in the UK and internationally.
Sahir House is your local HIV charity supporting people and families living with or affected by HIV on Merseyside. They are holding a candlelit vigil in the Concert Room at St Georges Hall, Liverpool on Monday December 1st. Doors open 6.30pm, event 7pm – 8.30pm. This FREE event, includes testimonies from people living with HIV, a reading of the remembrance list of people from Merseyside who have died, music performed by Up For Arts Choir, and information stalls run by local health and community projects.
Now+then: three decades of HIV in Merseyside is an Exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool which uncovers Merseyside's journey with HIV from the 1980s to the present day, through people's own stories. The display explores how local people and communities have responded to HIV and the prejudice and discrimination that still exist today. It features a new short film and sound recordings in which people living with HIV share their own remarkable stories. Now+then was created by Sahir House. It is at the Museum of Liverpool until 8th February 2015.
For further information about Sahir House or the Now+Then exhibition contact Serena on 0151 237 3989 serena@sahir.uk.com www.sahir.uk.com