George House Trust receives a £151,760 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for our “The History And Legacy of HIV in Greater Manchester” project.

The grant, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will mean George House Trust can tell the story of HIV across Greater Manchester and the associated activism, heroism, passion and loss.

Starting in July 2024, the project will appraise and catalogue George House Trust’s physical and digital archive material and preserve this by depositing it at Manchester Central Library. The archive will be preserved, better identified, and explained through this preservation and cataloguing, alongside a series of corresponding events and activities. At the end of the project in March 2026, people can learn about the history of HIV activism in Greater Manchester and this will lead to change in outdated perceptions and increased awareness about HIV and tackling HIV stigma.

The story of HIV in Greater Manchester and a Northern perspective more generally, has had limited exposure. George House Trust wants to liberate the archive as a piece of social history and ensure that the stories of people that made such a contribution to social action and change in Manchester are remembered; their efforts and campaigns are recorded and accessible; and the opportunity to educate, inform and use these as a tool to challenge and eradicate the pervasive HIV stigma that continues today. 

People living with HIV have fought hard for the last 40 years - for access to treatment, for equality and for basic respect. The activists, staff, volunteers, clinicians, politicians, families, helpliners, charities, groups and the people who raised funds for the AIDS ward in Monsall Hospital - George House Trust wants everyone to know the truth about Greater Manchester’s HIV history.

Darren Knight, Chief Executive at George House Trust said: “For all those lost and for all those still living with HIV, this funding enables us to tell Greater Manchester’s HIV story over the last 40 years and make sure that story is never, ever forgotten. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can educate, inform and help people understand where HIV stigma comes from and how we can banish it to the history books and look forward with hope.”

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are very proud to be supporting this transformative project that will record and preserve the important stories of people living with HIV and people we have lost. This grant, made possible by National Lottery players, ensures that the voices and memories of the community can be heard for generations to come.”

Dr George Severs, historian, said “As the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Britain is written, there is a danger that London will eclipse the experience of other major centres of activism, charitable work and service provision. In my work, I argue that Manchester is just such a centre, and that George House Trust encapsulates that history. Archiving the collections of George House Trust has the potential to significantly reorient the British history of HIV/AIDS to Manchester.”

10th July 2024

LGBT History Month 2024 - Under The Scope With Dr Chris Ward 

Growing up as a gay man in the 1980s and 90s was a scary time. I remember a lot of fear about HIV and stigma in the media. When I came out to my parents the first thing they mentioned was fear of HIV.

I have always wanted to help the community and when I started at medical school volunteered with the LGF (now LGBT Foundation) to distribute condoms at Pride. By the time I started university, antiretroviral treatment had progressed and highly active combination therapy was already saving lives.

My own experiences with shame around sex and HIV anxiety motivated me to explore sexual health as a career. Working in Infectious Diseases at North Manchester General solidified this.

Now, as a consultant in sexual health and HIV at Hathersage I have been lucky enough to have worked through huge breakthroughs in HIV prevention and treatment.

I remember when the first PrEP trials showed enormous success at reducing HIV transmissions, and the landmark Partners study providing and inspiring the Undetectable=Untransmissable message. This revolutionised people’s lives and helped with anxieties around sex, shame and stigma.

Now we are lucky enough to have multiple different HIV treatments, that are well-tolerated and some come in the form of one pill a day. With injectable treatments we have been able to offer even more options and choice, seeing most people only once every six months.

I enjoy working with patient and community groups like George House Trust. We keep momentum and pressure going to fund sexual health services, we drive forward innovation and new drug developments and we tackle the stigma around HIV that still exists.

Dr Chris Ward, Sexual Health and HIV Consultant for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

2 February 2024 

Paul Fairweather has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List 2023

George House Trust co-founder and LGBT activist, Paul Fairweather, has been awarded an MBE for services to people with disabilities and the LGBT community in the North West in the King’s New Year Honours List 2023.

Paul, who is a renowned HIV activist, LGBT rights champion and ambassador for equality, has been awarded the MBE for his life’s commitment towards promoting inclusion, advocating for equality and challenging hate. His colleagues and friends at George House Trust are all so pleased that his work’s been recognised in this way.

In the early 1980s Paul was at the forefront of the community response to the growing HIV pandemic among gay men in Manchester and across the North West, organising meetings, writing articles in the gay press and lobbying for much-needed support services for people diagnosed with HIV. His work was entirely voluntary and motivated by the experiences of many of his friends and the wider LGBTQ+ community who, as many lives were already being lost, were fearful and in need of information and advice.   

Paul continues to be involved with George House Trust as the Positive Speakers project lead, supporting people living with HIV to use their voice, tell their story and to tackle the HIV stigma that still exists. He works with many people who’ve experienced the sharp end of HIV stigma and supports them to realise their potential to change people’s hearts and minds, unleashing their power of their own story telling to help them grow and lead their own activism.

On being awarded the honour, Paul said:

“My gay activism began in 1974 and my HIV activism in 1984. Today, I am still an activist and I see this MBE as recognition of the work that not only I, but thousands of others, have done to help create a very different world. A world where living with HIV holds no one back. A world where prejudice and discrimination are challenged. A world where disabled people and LGBT people have far greater equality.”

Our Chief Executive, Darren Knight is delighted that Paul's work has been recognised and he said:

“I’ve known Paul for many years through his work to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and tackle HIV stigma in all its guises in Manchester, across the North West and beyond. Working alongside Paul, I’m inspired by his determination to do all he can to make things better for others. I don’t use these words lightly, but he’s an absolute legend. He inspires me in my work every day – he has done since I started working in the LGBTQ+ and HIV sector 17 years ago. His MBE is more than deserved.”

Everyone at George House Trust recognises the value and impact of people using their voice to inspire others. If you're living with HIV or an ally and want to get involved in our work, have a look at the volunteer space on the website to see how you can get involved. https://ght.org.uk/volunteer