ZERO HIV Stigma day

Zero HIV Stigma Day of Action          #ZEROHIVSTIGMADAY

Friday 21 July was the first international Zero HIV Stigma Day!!

A massive thankyou to everyone who was involved in the planning and delivery of Zero HIV Stigma Day on 21st July in Jubilee Square – Lunch Positive, Ledward Centre, Terence Higgins Trust, More to me than HIV, Stephen Nicholson, Brighton and Hove Buses, Sussex Beacon, Mary O’Kart, Lloyd Russell Moyle, Simon Maddrell, Simon Pepper Photography, Brighton and Hove Council, Bruno De Oliveira, Leslie Pumm, Rainbow Chorus, Angelina Namiba and Charity Nyirenda – Co-authors of Our Stories Told by Us -Celebrating the African contribution to the UK HIV response, Security team, HIV Community team, Radio Reverb – HIV Hour team, Brighton and Hove Library team, Arcobaleno, Brighton Fringe, Lawson Unit and University Hospitals Sussex.

 

Activities on the day included HIV testing the Ledward centre, Photograph Exhibition from More to me than HIV, Lunch at the Ledward Centre by Lunch Positive, the Martin Fisher Bus and many colleagues and people living with HIV talking to the public.

 

Special thanks to Gary Pargeter, Director of Lunch Positive and Billy Lewis, Centre Manager for Ledward Centre for their excellent project management and logistics for the whole event. And huge gratitude to our amazing positive speakers, Sue Hunter, Steve Hart and Angelina Namiba for sharing their stories with us all.

 

And an equally big thanks to all of you who attended on the day and showed your support for Zero HIV Stigma. 

 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

It doesn’t stop at Zero HIV Stigma Day, we have work to do to really make HIV Stigma a thing of the past.

So here is what we all need YOU to do:

  1. Talk openly about HIV in general your daily lives, no more whispered conversations. While it is important to respect the confidentiality of individual people, talking openly about HIV as a long term health condition will help to address stigma
  2. Educate yourself and keep up to date – see the rest of the website for information and watch our digital animation video 
  3. Challenge HIV stigma when you see or hear it and direct people to point people up to date information
  4. Sign up to be an HIV Ally and we will keep you up to date with activities and information about HIV stigma locally click here

 

Please contact us if you have a question about HIV stigma [email protected] 

 

Please note – the image quality has been significantly altered from the original images captured by Simon Pepper Photography.
Original resolution images available on request.

Photographs by Simon Pepper photography

 

 

What happened at the first Zero HIV Stigma Day?

There were brilliant speakers and performers…

  •        Music from LGBTQ Choir The Rainbow Chorus
  •        MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, member of parliament for Kemptown & Peacehaven, someone living with HIV and actively supporting zero stigma
  •        City Council members speaking in solidarity
  •        Angelina Namiba – co-author of book on the Black African response to HIV in the UK
  •        Diverse voices of people living with HIV, their experiences of stigma
  •        Queer Manx Poet, Simon Maddrell – living and thriving with HIV

From 12 noon there are loads of other activities happening….

  • Jubilee Square – Free refreshments and spaces to talk about life with HIV, with HIV charity Lunch Positive and representatives from local  organisations Sussex Beacon, Terrence Higgins Trust, Martin Fisher Foundation
  • Jubilee Square – Martin Fisher Foundation HIV Awareness Bus, including young people’s quiz, with prizes!
  • Jubilee Library – More to me than HIV photographic exhibition, a stunning collection of works
  • The Ledward Centre, Jubilee Street – HIV allies lunch 1pm – 3pm, jointly with The Ledward Centre & Lunch Positive

12noon to 5pm: Zero HIV Stigma Day of Action

  • Drop into Jubilee Square throughout the day to have a friendly chat to people living with HIV about their experiences. You can also talk to the NHS and other support organisation such as the Martin Fisher Foundation, Terrence Higgins Trust. Lunch Positive and Sussex Beacon about HIV and how zero stigma would improve testing, diagnosis, treatment and crucially, quality of life for people living with HIV. Information about HIV support, prevention and treatment will also be available for you to take away.
  • Jump on board the Martin Fisher Foundation bus to find out more about what you can do to prevent HIV stigma. They’ll be activities and information suitable for children available too.
  • View an exhibition of powerful portraits of people who are living with HIV inside the library.
  • Get a free HIV test with the Terrence Higgins Trust at the Ledward Centre.
  • Join the Queer Allies lunch at the Ledward Centre, or grab a free refreshment from Lunch Positive in the Square.
  • You can also grab a free HIV or STI test from our digital vending machine any time the library is open.

5.15pm to 6.15pm: Zero HIV Stigma Rally

  • Speakers including people who live with HIV, as well as clinicians, councillors and organisations providing support for people living with HIV will be talking about their experiences and how we all have a part to play in removing HIV stigma.
  • Enjoy music from the Rainbow Chorus and entertainment from local performers.

 

Working towards zero HIV

The event is being organised by the Towards ZERO HIV Taskforce, a partnership between the council, NHS, the Martin Fisher Foundation, the voluntary sector, including the Terrence Higgins Trust and Lunch Positive, members of the community, academics and clinicians.

Together, they have helped to ensure that Brighton & Hove has some of the some of the best HIV support, treatment and prevention services in the country and was the first city in the UK to sign up to be an HIV Fast Track City.

 

THE MARTIN FISHER FOUNDATION BUS

In collaboration with Brighton & Hove Buses the first HIV-themed public information bus in the world was launched on the 5th of October 2019. Brighton & Hove Buses, the Martin Fisher Foundation and local illustrator Daniel Locke worked together to design and wrap a bus to encourage people to have an HIV test and get treatment if they need it, while tackling some of the myths and stigma that still surround HIV.

The bus is named after Professor Martin Fisher, an outstanding international leader in the field of HIV research and patient care, who built a world-class service in Brighton and was widely loved and respected. The panels inside the bus talk about Martin’s life, recent advances in HIV treatment and the Foundation’s campaign to boost HIV testing rates and decrease stigma. The bus is emblazoned with purple Queen of the Night tulips, Martin’s favourite flower.

Martin Fisher Foundation Trustee Dr Gill Dean said: “This bus will ensure positive messages about HIV are seen by all, every day throughout Brighton & Hove. This bus is an eye-catching public message with the aim of stopping the stigma surrounding people living with HIV, as well as encouraging people to get tested. What we really want to get across to people is that HIV isn’t scary anymore!”