THEGAYUK

Tag: Charity

All the latest breaking news on Charity. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Charity.

  • Launch of new domestic abuse counselling

    PACE is pleased to offer a new counselling service for LGBT people who have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse.

    Domestic abuse can and does occur in same sex and trans relationships. Counselling can help those who have experienced domestic abuse overcome trauma, recover and rebuild their lives. It can provide a safe, non-judgemental environment to work through the impact of both past and continuing abuse.

    Kath Blake Counselling Service Manager at PACE says,

    “it can be difficult to recognise when a relationship becomes abusive and many people hide their experiences. Discussing situations with a trained professional can enable people to make changes and deal with the multiple challenges that people in abusive intimate partner relationships face”.

     

    This service is free, and part of DAP, a new domestic abuse partnership offering practical help with, for example, housing and legal issues, as well as providing emotional support and counselling.

    The DAP is made up of 5 LGBT agencies who each provide different services for LGBT victims/survivors of domestic abuse. With one phone call, you will be linked in with Stonewall Housing, Galop, Pace, London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, and Broken Rainbow.

     

    If you’re currently experiencing abuse in your relationship, have recently come out of an abusive relationship or have experienced abuse from a family member, do get in touch with PACE.

    We offer up to 12 sessions of individual counselling to those living in all London boroughs.

    Info and enquiries: 020 7700 1323 or email dacounselling@pacehealth.org.uk

  • HIV Campaign ” It Starts With Me”

    Health Protection Agency has given two years of funding to the Terrence Higgins Trust to deliver the ‘It Starts With Me’ HIV Campaign. This campaign focuses on three aspects: Test, Treat and Protect.

    Did you know that 8 out of 10 gay men get HIV from a man that doesn’t know that he’s got it? Or that 100,000 people in the UK have HIV but don’t know it? If these aren’t good enough reasons to encourage you to get a HIV test here are some more: regular testing gives you piece of mind, it’s free, confidential and convenient.

     

    You can arrange an appointment at your local sexual health clinic or even do a test through a postal kit. Jake, our Editor, recently reviewed the home testing kit. ‘It Starts With Me’ campaign even has a ‘Do I need an HIV test?’ Questionnaire, answer five quick and easy questions to establish if you need a HIV test. Earlier testing helps get quicker access to treatment for those that are HIV positive.

     

    A better understanding of HIV has led to treatment that gives a HIV positive person a feeling of better health and a longer life. According to ‘It Starts With Me,’ earlier treatment can extend your life expectancy by about 10 years; equally delaying testing and starting treatment can cost you 10 years of your life.

     

    The Campaign video (below) says that treatment stop the spread of HIV by reducing amount of HIV in a HIV positive person’s blood stream to an ‘undectable level’ meaning that they are unlikely to pass on HIV. Watch the video here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqMxrLqHAVo

     

    The Department for Health, Terrence Higgins Trust and all other sexual health organisations recommend the use of condoms when having sex. Condoms are the best way to Protect against HIV, especially when 8 out of 10 gay men get HIV from a man who doesn’t know that he’s got it.

     

    Gay men 25-29 years old are most likely to test HIV positive, but HIV doesn’t discriminate on age, gender, race, sexuality or for any other reason. If you’re worried about HIV you can speak to your GP, local sexual health clinic, or call Terrence Higgins Trust on 0808 802 1221. If you’ve got a sexual health question, visit TheGayUK sexual health section:http://www.mysexhealth.thegayuk.com

     

    If you’ve recently been diagnosed HIV positive, the forums on: http://www.myhiv.org.uk are said to be helpful along with Terrence Higgins Trust Website.

     

    There are also several bloggers who share their experience living with HIV; here are just a few of them:

     

    Alex: HIV & Me

    Website: http://alexsparrowhawk.wordpress.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/birdy_tweet

     

    HIVing The Dream

    Website: http://hivingthedream.wordpress.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/HIVingTheDream

     

    HIVPozGuy

    Website: http://hivpozguy.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/hivpozguy

     

    UKPositiveLad

    Website: http://www.ukpositivelad.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/UKPositiveLad

     

    Remember to get tested regularly, if you’re HIV positive to get treatment and always protect yourself using condoms when having sex. Together we can and will stop the spread of HIV.

  • Tavistock Centre for LGBT Couple Relationships awarded silver chartermark

    The Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships (TCCR) is delighted to announce that it has recently been awarded an eQuality chartermark by PACE (a leading Charity promoting LGBT mental health and wellbeing). TCCR received this award for demonstrating its commitment to inclusive practice in its work with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) couples.

    The eQuality Award is a quality mark for mainstream relationship services that show they have high standards of service for LGBT clients.

     

    On 25th April, TCCR was presented with a special Silver Award at a celebration event held at the House of Commons.

    TCCR’s CEO, Susanna Abse speaking at the event said, “We are delighted to have received this award and have been working closely with PACE to ensure that we offer quality therapy services tailored to the needs of all people, including LGBT people. PACE has provided us with a great deal of support and we are grateful for their suggestions and the thoughtful way in which they have worked with us. ”

    Through the process of consultation offered by PACE, TCCR was able to develop robust policies that reflect its commitment to the eQuality agenda at all levels of the organisation. This is reflected in the dramatic increase in referrals from same-sex couples to the organisation over the past year.

    To find out more about the eQuality chartermark visit: www.e-qualitymark.net

    To find out more about TCCR services visit: www.tccr.org.uk or www.tccr.ac.uk

  • NEWS: Naked Rowers Show Cheek For Charity Calendar Against Homophobia

    Well it’s Thursday afternoon and a press release about NAKED rowers from Warwick University hits the newsdesk; of course, we’re going to share them with you.

    Gok’s tweeted about it, Boy George is on the team so to speak and Stephen Fry is a fan. This fearless rowing team from Warwick University have launched a crowdfunding campaign to produce a naked calendar to raise funds for their outreach program to tackle prejudice, bullying and homophobia throughout schools.

    Bravo boys!

    They are looking to raise £5000, it’s all for a good cause… dig deep readers

  • Moldova gets its own “It Gets Better” partner

    Worldwide campaign It Gets Better Project announces its very first eastern European affiliate in Moldova to celebrate IDAHO.

    To mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia the pro-gay and awareness campaign,It Gets Better Project, aimed at inspiring young people who are at risk of taking their own lives due to bullying because of their sexual orientation have announced a new partnership in the European country of Moldova.
    Seth Levy, Chairman of the Board of Directors told TheGayUK,
    ‘The It Gets Better Project works globally to share message of hope with LGBT youth and to make things better for them The Project has already had great success through its international efforts in the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and the Caribbean We are now beginning to work in more regions where, at times, the circumstances for LGBT youth are especially challenging and LGBT-focused resources are scarce. Moldova has historically been such a place. We are very excited to have partnered with our local affiliate, Egali, to help improve things for LGBT youth in Moldova.’
    The ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, which reflects the national legal and policy human rights situation in each European country rated Moldova at just 10% just ahead of Armenia and Russia.
    Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1995, but does not have specific law to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
    Moldova is bordered between Ukraine and Romania.
    The UK topped the Rainbow Map with 77% towards the respect of human rights and full equality.
    Visit the It Gets Better Project at: www.itgetsbetter.org

  • LGBT Helpline Scotland opens

    Brand new LGBT Helpline opens in Scotland.

    A brand new LGBT helpline, called LGBT Helpline Scotland, has opened in Edinburgh and is open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 12PM – 9PM and will offer help, information and support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community across Scotland

    Stephen McCabe, the co-ordinator for the helpline said,

    ‘I am delighted to announce that LGBT Helpline Scotland – Scotland’s first ever national helpline for LGBT people and their families, friends and supporters – will open next week on May 7th.

    ‘For some time we have identified the need for a national Scottish LGBT helpline, and thanks to funding from the Scottish Government we now have a team of fully trained volunteers ready to take calls when we launch next Tuesday.

    ‘Our volunteers are trained to answers calls relating to sexuality, gender identity, isolation, sex and sexual health, coming out, hate crime (we are able to report crimes over the phone via our Third Party Reporting Service), amongst other needs that LGBT people in Scotland may have.’

    To speak to a volunteer call 0300 123 2523

  • Stonewall raises £65,000 to tackle anti-gay bullying

    Stonewall, Britain’s largest lesbian, gay and bisexual charity, raised £65,000 in 10k Equality Walk through Brighton.

    Over 800 Stonewall supporters took to the streets of Brighton for the charity’s tenth annual Equality Walk on Sunday. The annual fundraiser – supported by American Express and Square Peg Media – made over £65,000. Stonewall will use the funds to support its new DVD film for primary schools, FREE, which will help strengthen the charity’s campaign against homophobic bullying.

    Zoe Lyons hosted this year’s walk and was joined for a picnic in the Royal Pavilion Gardens by hundreds of families and fundraising teams. MPs John Bercow, Caroline Lucas and Simon Kirby, and the Mayor of Brighton & Hove Bill Randall, also attended the 10k walk, which ended at sea-front bar Coalition. There Zoe congratulated the top fundraising team (PwC, who made nearly £2,700) and the best individual fundraiser, Jason Sloan, who made over £1,000 and won a weekend in Paris courtesy of American Express.

    Stonewall Head of Education Wes Streeting said:

    ‘We’re truly bowled over by how hard our 800 walkers worked to raise such a huge sum for our anti-bullying work. While we all enjoyed the sunshine, we always keep in mind the fact that over half of gay young people in Britain face a gloomy nightmare of homophobic bullying at school. Every penny raised this weekend will help us make sure those young people can look forward to better days.’

    Stonewall’s new DVD for primary schools, FREE, will help teachers tackle homophobia, which is one of the most common causes of bullying in primary schools. The film follows the success of the charity’s popular secondary school film FIT, which was distributed to every secondary school in Britain. Playwright Rikki Beadle-Blair produced FIT and has returned to work on Free, which is currently in production and will be released later this year. For more information about FREE visit www.stonewall.org.uk/free

  • Iconic ‘Some People Are Gay’ Poster Gets The Star Trek Treatment

    Iconic ‘Some People Are Gay’ Poster Gets The Star Trek Treatment

    The UK’s biggest lesbian, gay and bisexual charity – Stonewall reveals iconic ‘Some People Are Gay, Get Over It’ Poster in Klingon.

    Stonewall
    Stonewall

    Boldly going where no slogan has gone before, Stonewall’s internationally renown ‘Get Over It!’ campaign has become intergalactic after the charity revealed two posters translating it into Klingon, to coincide with the UK release of Star Trek: Into Darkness.

    Stonewall Deputy Chief Executive Ruth Hunt said:

    ‘Klingons may be renowned for their determination to fall out with people but, as Spock would say, even gay Klingons should be able to live long and prosper.’

    The campaign, which hit the headlines last year after appearing on the sides of many buses across the country, has actually existed for 6 years. The simple text ‘Some People Are Gay, Get Over It!’ has been translated into 10 languages including: Russian, Chinese, Welsh and Hebrew, all of which are available online at www.stonewall.org.uk/international.

    The images are available for download from Stonewall’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stonewalluk

  • Online Haven Launched For LGBT People Experiencing Mental Health Issues

    An exciting new online service is launched this month to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people experiencing mental health problems.

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  • NEWS: Condom Use Stopped Over 80,000 News HIV Infections In Gay Men

    Study shows that consistent condom use has stopped over 80,000 new HIV infections among gay men.

    Research by the HPA and UCL published in PLOS ONE will show that consistent condom use by gay men has stopped over 80,000 new HIV infections between 2000 and 2010. The research provides an unprecedented insight into how HIV prevention measures have shaped the epidemic and quantifies the direct impact of condom use by gay men for the first time.

    The research also adds to a scientific evidence base which underlines the need for investment in targeted campaigns focusing on three pillars of HIV prevention: promoting safer sex and condom use, encouraging at-risk communities to test regularly for the virus and early use of anti-HIV drug therapy.

    Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

    “This research provides concrete evidence of the vital role which condom use by gay men has had in containing the spread of HIV in the UK. Without it, there would have been 80,000 more gay men with HIV between 2000 and 2010. The study also confirms the impact of the combined HIV prevention strategy, spearheaded by Terrence Higgins Trust, of promoting condom use and safer sex, increasing regular HIV testing and encouraging the earlier use of anti-HIV drug therapy for people with diagnosed HIV, campaigns which have all contributed to reducing transmission over the past 10 years. At a time when funding for local HIV prevention programmes is under threat, this only reinforces the important role which local authorities can and must play in funding local HIV prevention as they inherit responsibility for public health in April.

    “Condoms remain the best protection against HIV. But this study also tells us that 82% of transmissions among gay men in 2010 came from people who were unaware they had the virus. This highlights the importance of regular testing to drive down the rate of undiagnosed HIV, which continues to fuel the epidemic among gay men.”

    In 2012 Terrence Higgins Trust was awarded a three-year contract from the Department of Health to lead a new partnership of organisations (called HIV Prevention England) in delivering HIV prevention work in England among gay men and Africans. In November this partnership launched England’s first ever National HIV Testing Week, which saw clinical and community organisations across England work together on an unprecedented scale to drive down rates of undiagnosed HIV.

    The charity will build on this work in late March, when it will launch major new HIV prevention campaigns targeted specifically at gay men and Africans living in the England.

  • Stonewall Releases “So You Think Your Child Is Gay” Guide

    Stonewall today publishes a guide for parents who think their child might be lesbian, gay or bisexual.

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