News: 06/2025 | Page 6 | George House Trust
News: 06/2025
24 Jan

BIG INCREASE IN RECENT PREP USERS AMONG NEW HIV CASES

By Phillip McCulloch 0 Comments

Big increase in recent PrEP users among new HIV cases, largest UK clinic reports

 

In 2020, nearly one in five people diagnosed with HIV had used PrEP in the last three months, some very recently.

 

This does not imply that PrEP was more frequently failing to prevent HIV infection. The increase in diagnoses among recent PrEP users mirrors an overall increase in the proportion of clinic users who were taking PrEP.  Dr Nicoló Girometti of the 56 Dean Street Collaborative Group told aidsmap.com that in 2020 about 15,000 PrEP users – about a third of all attendees – attended Dean Street.

 

You can read the full article here.

Monday, 24 January, 2022
11 Jan

HIV Language Guide

By Ingrid Turner 0 Comments

 

Our HIV Language Guide offers alternatives to stigmatising words and phrases which should be avoided.          

 

Language is powerful.

 

It can affect the way we see other people and the way people view themselves.

 

While HIV is a long-term, manageable medical condition like many others, it attracts stigma and discrimination like no other.

 

Words and phrases used about HIV and people living with HIV can carry hugely negative connotations. Describing people living with HIV as ‘suffering’, for example, reinforces outdated stereotypes and casts the person as a helpless victim –which is stigmatising in itself.

 

Language has the power to include or exclude.

 

Some of the language used about HIV and about people living with HIV implies blame and sets people living with HIV apart and different – making it about ‘them’ and not ‘us’.  

 

Language can reinforce stigmatising attitudes, or it can help bring about a world in which people living with HIV are no longer the subject of negative attitudes, stereotypes and discrimination.

 

Read the HIV Language Guide.

  

George House Trust’s vision is a world where HIV holds nobody back. We will get there sooner if we all do our best to ensure we use respectful and inclusive language when talking about HIV and people living with HIV.

 

Thank you to the community of people living with HIV who shaped and contributed to this guide, and helped develop the alternatives to stigmatising language.

Thank you to Manchester City Council for supporting the guide's development and production.

 

January 11th 2022

Tuesday, 11 January, 2022
06 Jan

We're Recruiting A Chair To The Board Of Trustees

By Ingrid Turner 0 Comments

Are you looking to make a lasting impact at George House Trust?

 

We are a charity supporting people living with and affected by HIV and we're on the look-out for a new Chair of the Board of Trustees.

 

We're looking for someone with energy and enthusiasm to encourage public support for George House Trust as well as drive the ambitions of Board of Trustees. You'll possess a natural authority, whilst also remaining conscientious and compassionate. Previous Trustee experience is helpful but definitely not essential.

 

This is a really exciting time to join George House Trust and this is a fantastic opportunity to make a lasting impact. Are you a leader that shares our values and who loves to think ahead? 

 

If you're passionate about the role George House Trust can play in supporting people living with and affected by HIV, and are ready to join us to tackle HIV stigma and discrimination head-on, we'd love to hear from you.

 

Read the note from our Deputy Chair, Vanessa, here.

 

All of the information about the process and what to include in your application is detailed in the ‘How to apply’ section of the recruitment pack. The separate demographic monitoring form for completion with your applciation is here. 

 

Deadlines and timelines are below:

  • Application deadline: 5pm on Monday 31st January 2022.
  • Invitation to interview: Week commencing 14th February 2022.
  • Confirmation of appointment: 28th February 2022.
  • Invitation to role as Chair: April 2022.

 

For an informal chat about this role with our Deputy Chair, Vanessa Jackson, please email darren@ght.org.uk who’ll be happy to organise a conversation. 

 

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. 

 

Monday, 17 May, 2021
16 Dec

HIV GENES CAN SUCCESSFULLY BE REMOVED FROM CELLS

By Phillip McCulloch 0 Comments

HIV genes can successfully be removed from cells, scientists find.  Many hurdles to overcome before human trials can start.

 

Scientists have demonstrated the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to remove the HIV genome from the DNA of infected cells. They have also identified some of the consequences of doing so and begun to investigate how these side-effects may be mitigated.

 

In one study, Dr Michele Lai and colleagues at the University of Pisa demonstrated the capacity of  CRISPR-Cas9 to remove HIV genetic material from infected cells but also investigated whether the excised sections of DNA may reintegrate and start replicating again.

 

In another, Dr Jonathan Herskovitz and team at the University of Nebraska showed that when CRISPR-Cas9 is manipulated to target multiple sites at two of HIV’s most important genes, viral replication in infected cells almost completely stopped – with no immediately obvious damage to cellular DNA.

 

It's always good to end the year with good news, and you can read the full article here.

Thursday, 16 December, 2021
16 Dec

WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV ARE UNDER-REPRESENTED IN RESEARCH

By Phillip McCulloch 0 Comments

Women living with HIV are under-represented in research, limiting our understanding of co-morbid diseases.

 

A systematic review of studies of medical conditions in women living with HIV has found large gaps in the data, particularly for women over 50. The studies that do explore this topic showed that women living with HIV are at increased risk of acute cardiac disease, reduced bone mineral density and poorer cognitive function than women in the general population, while their gender increases the risk of kidney disease. Whether the causes of the increased risk are biological or if other factors such as socioeconomic status and ethnicity are also contributing is unclear because of a lack of evidence.

 

Compared to their male counterparts, women living with HIV appear to have co-morbid diseases at a younger age and worse outcomes. Despite women making up more than 50% of HIV diagnoses worldwide, women are under-represented in research. Dr Sonia Raffe and her team conducted a review of studies that examined how common cardiovascular, kidney, bone and neurocognitive disease was in women living with HIV and presented their findings at the 18th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2021).

 

It's always good to end the year with good news, and you can read the full article here.

Monday, 6 December, 2021
03 Dec

THE INDEPENDENT LAUNCHES CHRISTMAS CHARITY APPEAL FOR ESSENTIAL HIV TESTING AROUND THE WORLD

By Phillip McCulloch 0 Comments

Funds Raised for Elton John AIDS Foundation Will Pay For Those At Risk To Be Able To Get Tested, And Will Make Sure They Have Access To The Treatment They Need.

 

Andrew Williams had never heard of the word HIV when he tested positive. It was his mother who had forced him to go to the doctor where he got the diagnosis that he thought was a death sentence.

 

At that time he was in a wheelchair. It was the unbearable itching of his back that finally got him to get medical help but, he discovered, he not only had HIV but diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

 

That was two years ago. This week, as the 31-year-old joined Sir Elton John and Evening Standard and The Independent owner Evgeny Lebedev in Atlanta to witness the revolutionary new breakthroughs against the disease at the city’s Grady Ponce De Leon Centre, there was no need for a wheelchair. Nor, he now knew, was there any need for fear.

 

Within two months of starting the latest antiretroviral drugs, the virus in his body had become undetectable in his blood. Not only is he now healthy, partly due to the drugs and partly due to the healthy lifestyle adopted for his other illnesses, but he can virtually not pass the infection to other people.

 

He feels, he says, “reborn”. “I have a reason to live,” he explained, “and that is to help people who were like me – and to show you’re going to be OK.”

 

It's always good to end the year with good news, and you can read the full article here.

Friday, 3 December, 2021
21 Oct

PRONOUNS IN EMAIL SIGNATURES

By Phillip McCulloch 0 Comments

Pronouns In Email Signatures – Why Are Staff Doing This?

 

Over the past 3 years George House Trust has been working towards becoming a more inclusive and welcoming organisation for Trans people.  Staff members set up a Trans Inclusion Working Group to look at all the ways we could achieve this aim and some encouraging progress has been made in a number of areas.  The group believes that adding pronouns to our staff’s email signatures is the next logical step in becoming a more trans inclusive organisation, and that it aligns with the goals of the Trans Inclusion Statement which was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2019.  A copy of the statement can be found here.

 

We recognise that this topic might be quite new to many people so we thought it would be helpful to provide some brief explanations.

 

What do you mean by ‘Transgender’ or ‘Trans’?

 

Trans is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

 

Some trans people identify as neither male or female, or as a combination of both male and female.  They may use terms such as gender non-conforming, non-binary or genderqueer to describe their gender identity.

 

If you would like more info Stonewall have produced this in depth guide ‘The Truth about Trans’.

 

What are pronouns?

 

You may not know the word “pronoun,” but you use them every day!  Pronouns are used instead of a proper noun (like a person’s name).  We use pronouns regularly when mentioning someone without using their name.

 

Example: Have you seen Julia?  She hasn’t texted me back all day.  She is the pronoun.

 

Many non-binary people prefer to use gender neutral pronouns such as they and them.

 

Why is it important to add pronouns to our email signatures?

 

In English, our most commonly used pronouns (he/she) specifically refer to a person’s gender.  For gender non-conforming, non-binary, and transgender people, these pronouns may not fit, can create discomfort, and can cause stress and anxiety.

 

Adding pronouns to an email signature has the practical benefit of making clear how you would like to be referred to, while also signalling to the person receiving the email that you will respect their gender identity and their choice of pronouns.  It is an effective way of normalising discussions about gender and creating a more inclusive environment for transgender and non-binary staff, volunteers and service users.

 

As an organisation we recognise that our work towards becoming more inclusive and welcoming to trans and non-binary people is never done.  Including pronouns on our email signatures is a small but important step on that journey.

 

October 21st 2021

Friday, 22 October, 2021
17 Oct

Black History Month 2021: Yvonne's HIV Heroes and Sheroes

By Ingrid Turner 0 Comments

Black History Month 2021: Yvonne Richards' HIV Heroes and Sheroes

 

Yvonne is an HIV activist and volunteers at George House Trust. 

 

  "This group of people show me how to live my best life. In the HIV arena, they stand as very visible icons, continuing the tradition of fighting for the rights of black people to step into their humanity. I hope you enjoy discovering and celebrating them as much as I have....."

 

Read Yvonne's introduction to this blog post here. 

 

 

 

 

Susan Cole-Haley

 Susan Cole-Haley is an award-winning HIV activist, writer, broadcaster, and speaker.

 

She produces and hosts the award-winning series aidsmapLIVE, which has a global audience. 

 

 Susan is an advocate for the rights of people living with HIV and is particularly passionate about health inequalities which affect people from Black communities living with HIV. 

 

 

Davina Conner

Davina is an international speaker, podcast host and an HIV advocate, activist and campaigner. Her aim is to inspire and motivate other and change the narrative on how HIV is looked at. 

 

She is a founding member of the Prevention access campaign (UequalsU), an ambassador of U=U, a 2020 Leading Women’s Society Alumni, and a former Denver HIV planning Council member.

 

 

 

 

LeaSuwanna Griffith

LeaSuwanna is a HIV activist and campaigner (Act Up London, HIV Voices, Her Story & Changing Perception) and a trained HIV peer mentor. She is a Trustee at Positively UK and Centre for All Families Positive Health. 

 

She is also a patient representative for the Royal College of Physicians, Newham CCG, Sir Ludwig Guttman Centre Patient Forum, GP Patient rep & HIV CRG sub group. Most recently LeaSuwanna is a Bart’s Health NHS Trust Nursing Associate apprentice.

 

 

 

 

Bakita Kasadha

Bakita is a poet and a health writer for the British Journal of Healthcare Management, Glamour, Metro, gal-dem and others. 

 

 

Her poetry has been commissioned for the 40th anniversary of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, Sainsbury’s Black History Month campaign, National Stephen Lawrence Day. 

 

She is a researcher at the University of Oxford, working on an HIV and infant-feeding project, and is co-editing a special collection on women and HIV.

 

Rev Jide Macaulay

Reverend Jide Macaulay is the founding Pastor and CEO of House Of Rainbow CIC. He is an openly gay British-Nigerian, a Christian minister since 1998 and serves on a number of advisory boards. 

 

Reverend Jide ia an inspirational speaker, author, poet, pastor, preacher, HIV Positive Activist, and campaigner for HIV, LGBTQI+ and social justice causes. 

 

 

 

 

Denis Onyango

Denis is Programmes Director at Africa Advocacy Foundation. 

He is a strong advocate for the rights of people living with HIV, and campaigns on a wide range of social justice and human rights issues.

 

He is involved in healthcare policy work both nationally and internationally and serves on several advisory boards. 

 

 

 

Phil Samba

Phil is a social activist, researcher, writer and speaker.

 

He promotes knowledge about sexual health and prevention, and is passionate about addressing the specific sexual health needs of queer men of colour.

 

He is the strategic lead for PrEP 4 Queer Men Of Colour at Prepster and The Love tank CIC. 

 

 

Mercy Shibemba

Mercy is an award-winning activist, who advocates for young people living with HIV.

 

She works on youth engagement and participation in clinical trials, research and charities supporting young people.

 

She is Co-Chair of The Sophia Forum, working to improve the rights, health, welfare and dignity of women living with HIV.

 

 

Winnie Sseruma

Winnie Ssanyu Sseruma is a freelance consultant and HIV treatment activist, who has led various organisations and served on many advisory boards. 

 

She is known for highlighting the impact of HIV on women and people living with HIV, and for providing expertise to community organisations responding to issues of social justice, women’s leadership and HIV. 

 

 

 

 

Marc Thompson 

Marc is the current Director of The Love Tank, and co-founded both PrEPster and BlackOut UK.

 

He's a skilled trainer, public speaker, activist and adovcate.

 

Marc is a prominent activist for HIV and sexual health in the UK, and has campaigned on key issues like HIV Peer support, PrEP, U=U and social justice.

 

 

 

18th October 2021

 

Black History Month: Yvonne's HIV Heroes

Black History Month: Celebration Event

Robert's Black History Month Blog

Monday, 18 October, 2021
17 Oct

Robert's Story - Part 4

By Ingrid Turner 0 Comments

Black History Month 2021

 

Robert is a volunteer at George House Trust and has written a four-part blog for Black History Month 2021. Here is part 4......

 

I believe things are getting somewhat better in the United Kingdom but racism is still alive and kicking.

 

Our politicians need to step up to the plate and lead by example especially those in senior positions.

 

We also need schools to practice what they preach and not just pay lip service to racism. Schools need to start teaching black history and not just British and European history. The Anglican and Catholic Churches need to speak up and stand up for those from foreign lands. In the football world, it is obvious that there is still a far way to go judging by the recent spate of racist tweets aimed at our black football players.

 

To my black brothers and sisters I would like to say that if you are ever challenged as to why you are here and not back in your own country always remember the words of my Sociologist Lecturer at University.

 

He used to say “tell them, you are here because they were there”.

 

In other words when you think how our colonies in the West Indies, Africa and Asia were plundered and the profits from slavery, sugar and various minerals were used to build many of these big buildings we see today in Bristol, Liverpool, London and other cities, then we have every right to be here!

 

In closing, perhaps a day will come when we will feel that there is no need to have a “Black History Month” but I dare say this is a long way off.

 

It’s not just the black children who need to know more about their roots and their ancestry but children of other races should also know too, so as to avoid perpetuating further stereo-type views in the future.

 

Perhaps some of us are too embarrassed to talk about slavery and wish to forget that it ever happened.

 

It is important to remember the words of Malcolm X, “Our history did not begin in chains”.

 

 

Black History Month Celebration Event

Read part 1

Read part 2

Read part 3 

16th October 2021

 

Saturday, 16 October, 2021
16 Oct

Have You Had Your Flu Jab?

By Ingrid Turner 0 Comments

 

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR FLU JAB?

If you’re living with HIV it’s advised that you get a flu jab, also known as a vaccine, every year. It is a safe and effective vaccine that can help protect people at risk of flu and its complications. It is particularly important this year because of Covid-19. We need to do everything we can to protect our health.

 

It is FREE for people living with HIV.

Where can I get a flu jab?

  • Your GP surgery
  • A pharmacy offering the service, including pharmacies in supermarkets
  • Your midwifery service if you are pregnant

 

Is it safe?

It is. The vaccine does not have ‘live’ virus in it, so it is safe for use by people living with HIV. If you’re concerned about the safety of the vaccine, please speak to your GP.

 

How long does it take?

It’s a quick procedure, taking no longer than 5 minutes.

 

Why do I need to have it every year?

There are different types and strains of flu viruses and the ones in circulation can change. The make-up of the vaccine is reviewed each year and updated to ensure it provides as much protection as possible. Also, the immune protection given by a vaccine reduces over time, so the best way to make sure you’re protected is to have it every year.

 

I’m young and healthy, do I need it?

It is recommended for EVERYONE living with HIV regardless of age or general health. This is because people living with HIV are deemed to be at higher risk of developing complications from flu.

You can find out more about flu on the NHS website and on the Aidsmap website.

 

Sort it today, don’t delay.

Monday, 11 October, 2021

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