Terrence Higgins Trust

When Ellie Harrison was diagnosed with HIV at 21 she was treated differently by others — that’s why she’s on a mission to end stigma.

Ellie shared her experience of dating with HIV in OK! Magazine and New Magazine to raise awareness.

“I’ve had instances where people don’t want to share cups with me or they didn’t want to sit next to me at uni because they wrongly thought they’d catch it. I’ve also had dates turn their cheek when going to kiss me you can’t get it from kissing anyway, so that’s silly.”

“The first time I told a date it was OK, because we matched online and had the conversation prior to the date, so that was easier. But the dates where I’ve told people face to face can be quite hard because you never know how someone’s going to react. I used to get so anxious and upset then I’d be crying to someone I’d been on two dates with.”

Our Medical Director, Dr Kate Nambiar, challenged this stigma - “Negative attitudes to people living with HIV and stigma around the virus lead to discrimination, and in 2024, there is no place for them. Stigma hurts people living with HIV, it stops them talking openly about what the virus really means, and it puts people off getting tested and knowing their status.”

Ellie added: “I moved to Manchester a year and a half ago and for the first six months it was hellish. Every man I told would reject me, I’d be blocked, ghosted. They wouldn’t want to speak to me.”

“The education on HIV is so poor in the straight community, so a lot of times, when I tell people, I have to explain what HIV is and the fact that I’m OK. People don’t trust that I’m undetectable [the virus can’t be passed on]. I think when people find out from my Instagram, they’re quite quick to go, ‘I’m not going to speak to her ever again.’ I lose that opportunity to rally the fight because they’re gone before I’ve even realised.”

“I will live a long, healthy life because of my tablet. HIV should never affect me in any way. We need to address the generalised stigma around s*xual health to get people in a position where they see taking an STI test like brushing their teeth.”

“It’s something you have to do if you’ve had s*x, because these things are treatable.”

Thank you Ellie for all that you do to challenge stigma.

The UK Government have secured over 150,000 more mpox vaccines to ensure we are prepared for potential outbreaks.

This is welcome news following our campaign for the government to be ready for all virus threats, including mpox and STIs.

Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close person-to-person contact. There was an outbreak of clade 2 in the UK in 2022 and an ongoing outbreak of clade 1 in some parts of Africa.

While there are no cases of clade 1 mpox confirmed in the UK, it’s important to be aware of the facts in case there is a future outbreak.

Here’s everything you need to know.

It’s extremely concerning that a Tik Tok by Dr Sermed Mezher which falsely claims that HIV and hepatitis can be contracted via toilet paper has over one million views.

This is not only scientifically impossible, it perpetuates HIV stigma and instils fear in the general public.

It is crucial that Dr Mezher retracts the incorrect claims from his Tik Tok. Terrence Higgins Trust would love to work with him to make sure his followers have up-to-date information on HIV.

We recommend that Dr Mezher joins the Fast Track Cities London HIV GP Champion Network which is dedicated to improving care for people living with HIV, allowing him to go from sharing myths about HIV to become a champion of the HIV community.

Here’s a comment from our Medical Director, Kate Nambiar:

“Nobody has ever contracted HIV or hepatitis from toilet roll. That’s because HIV doesn’t survive for long outside the body. Once HIV is exposed to air it weakens quickly and transmission only takes place when it passes from one person's body into another body. Hepatitis B and C are able to stay active for longer outside the body but are inactivated by drying so transmission is effectively impossible.

It’s extremely worrying that over one million people have seen this Tik Tok from Dr Sermed Mezher which spreads misinformation that it is possible to contract HIV and hepatitis from toilet roll. This is not only scientifically impossible, it’s also highly damaging to the lives of people living with HIV by perpetuating stigma and also instils fear in the general public.

The vast majority of people get HIV through s*x. It can also be passed on by injecting drugs as well as from mother to baby during childbirth (known as vertical transmission), but these are far less common. Only 1.7% of new HIV diagnoses last year were from injecting drug use and just 0.5% were vertical transmissions.

It is crucial that Dr Mezher retracts the incorrect claims from his Tik Tok. Terrence Higgins Trust would love to work with him to make sure his followers have up-to-date information on HIV. As a GP doctor with thousands of followers, he’s in a unique position to educate them on the facts about HIV, including the fact that people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass it on and can live a fulfilling life with a normal lifespan.”

Did you know depression is twice as common among people living with HIV?

It’s Sexual Health Week ran by BrookCharity and we're exploring the links between mental health and s*xual health. Here's our Positive Voices speaker Ellie Harrison with her best tips for managing your mental health after an HIV diagnosis.

“I take one pill a day, which reduces the level of HIV in my body to an undetectable level, meaning it’s impossible to pass the virus on to anyone else.

I live a completely normal life – the only change is that one pill. Thanks to incredible progress around HIV, people like me can live fulfilling lives which are just as long (if not longer!) than those who are HIV negative. But an HIV diagnosis can take a huge toll on your mental health because of the stigma associated with it.

If you’ve just been diagnosed with HIV you might be feeling upset, shocked or angry. You might be having trouble taking in the things you’ve been told – but it’s so important to know that you can now life a long, healthy life with HIV. That includes having children free from HIV.

HIV in no way limits my life, but it can have a devastating psychological impact. You can call Terrence Higgins Trust’s helpline, THT Direct on 0808 802 1221 for immediate support. When I told my mum I was living with HIV, she was on the phone with them for three hours and got all the information she needed, including how to support me and the correct things to say to me.

When I was diagnosed with HIV I did not allow myself time to process and heal properly. I put too much pressure on myself to tell people – looking back I realise that there actually was no rush. I tried to make myself feel better by going on nights out and getting drunk, telling friends when actually I wasn’t ready. Thankfully they didn’t react badly, but they didn’t know what to say either. None of us had ever thought HIV would hit our friendship group – a lot of them cried. Negative reactions can really hurt, especially when you haven’t come to terms with your HIV diagnosis. You should never feel rushed into sharing your HIV status – take as much time as you need.

Finding support from other people living with HIV can be life-changing. Speaking to others who are in the same boat about their experiences and what worked for them really helped – it made me realise there was light at the end of the tunnel and that self-acceptance was possible. Later this year, Terrence Higgins Trust are launching My Community, a free online space for anyone living with HIV in the UK to feel supported, connect, share experiences, seek advice, find reliable information and get involved."

Read the rest of Ellie's blog via the Brook website. 👇
https://www.brook.org.uk/blog/5-tips-for-managing-your-mental-health-following-a-hiv-diagnosis/

Liam is taking on the Cardiff Half Marathon this October.

He’s tells us why he’s taking on 13.1 miles to support our work and others affected by HIV.

“I’ve been a long term supporter of Terrence Higgins Trust since before my HIV diagnosis in October 2022, and I’ve benefitted from the education and counselling services in London and Oxford.

Since my diagnosis I’ve taken up distance running as a hobby to keep myself fit and healthy, and to raise money for HIV awareness, prevention, and the tackling of stigma. I ran the 10k World AIDS Day RED RUN in London back in 2023 and was overwhelmed by the support in sponsorship and also the love shown by those who want to end the stigma associated with HIV.

Terrence Higgins Trust is a fantastic charity: warm, compassionate, and thoroughly professional. I’m very grateful to be given the opportunity to run my first ever Half Marathon in support of the charity.”

Inspired by Liam? Sign up to take on the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday 6 October? Entries close on Thursday 12 September👇
https://www.tht.org.uk/events/cardiff-half-marathon

We're thrilled that Professor Thomas Waite OBE has been appointed to our board of trustees.

The appointment comes at a crucial time as there’s less than six years left to achieve the life-changing goal of ending new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030. Professor Waite, who is currently Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, will play a pivotal role as a trustee making sure this commitment is achieved.

Professor Waite is an epidemiologist and public health physician, as well as a honorary professor at the University of Bolton. He has worked in public health and health protection in England and Wales as well as overseas, particularly in Ethiopia. He is also a proud gay man and is committed to reducing stigma and raising awareness that people living with HIV cannot pass the virus on. He has also held a range of roles at Public Health England (now UKHSA) in global health, field epidemiology and environmental public health before becoming Deputy CMO for health protection. Before that he trained and worked in clinical medicine and public health in South Wales.

Professor Waite helped establish the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team and as their senior epidemiologist he led their first deployment to the Somali region of Ethiopia. He was also awarded an OBE for services to Public Health in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.

Jonathan McShane, Chair of Trustees, said: “All of us at Terrence Higgins Trust are incredibly proud to have Professor Waite on our board of trustees. He has an excellent track record in public health and the leadership he has provided was critical in the roll out of opt-out HIV testing in high prevalence areas. We know his expertise will be vital as we do everything in our power to end new cases of HIV by 2030.”

Professor Thomas Waite OBE, said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed to Terrence Higgins Trust’s board of trustees in this critical time as the UK strives to end new cases of HIV by 2030. I know from being across the table from Terrence Higgins Trust that we cannot achieve this historic goal without their unique contribution. The charity has been supporting people living with HIV since the early 1980s and although their work is very different today, it is still life-changing. People living with HIV rely on their support as much as ever.

There is so much progress to celebrate, but as the numbers get lower and lower, the efforts must get higher and higher. We have to keep the action up – that’s why I am looking forward to the opportunity of working with Terrence Higgins Trust towards a future where there are no new HIV cases and HIV stigma is a thing of the past.”

“So many people could benefit from PrEP which is why I’m committed to educating others about it – because you can’t access something you don’t know about!”

We’re delighted to have Linda Egwuekwe involved in our It Starts with Me campaign. Here’s Linda on the benefits of HIV testing and PrEP for The Voice Newspaper.

“Growing up, I’m ashamed to admit I believed all of the rumours I had heard about HIV.

My perspective completely changed one year when I was offered an HIV test by someone who was promoting National HIV Testing Week in a supermarket. She told me that everything I’d heard about HIV wasn’t true and that actually, you can live a long, healthy life with HIV. I was amazed to find out that if people living with HIV take their treatment as prescribed, they can’t pass it on to their partners.

I said yes to being tested, which took them by surprise. She explained that every single person she asked, apart from me, had said no to an HIV test.

I couldn’t believe that no one else in that supermarket was interested in taking an HIV test. Our health is not a place that we can afford to be ignorant – our community will test for other viruses and illnesses, but the fear around HIV stops many from taking a test.

There are now more ways than ever to prevent HIV. I am amazed to hear about PrEP, a pill taken by HIV negative people to protect against HIV. It’s free from most s*xual health clinics in the UK – you should check with your local service to find out which of your local clinics provide it.

PrEP is almost 100% effective when taken as prescribed – once the drug is in the body, it blocks the virus and stops HIV from being passed on. It’s important to know that PrEP does not affect your ability to get pregnant.

Not enough conversations are being had about HIV and the benefits of PrEP – I hope the It Starts With Me campaign starts them. I’ve had mixed reactions from my loved ones about being involved in an HIV campaign – a friend asked me if I’m worried that people will think I have HIV. I explained to her that HIV is just like any other health condition, but this in itself shows that there is so much more work to do to make sure people know the truth about HIV.”

Visit startswithme.org.uk to find out more info.

Happy birthday Madonna!

In March 1989, she released Like A Prayer and included this card “The Facts About AIDS” 👇

Today we’re celebrating the impact Madonna has made in the fight against HIV💙

We can end the HIV epidemic in the UK by 2030. But we'll only get there if the Government publishes an HIV Action Plan worthy of its name.

Terrence Higgins Trust is delighted to be working with National AIDS TrustTrust and the Elton John AIDS Foundation to drive progress to achieve the 2030 goal.

Our Chief Executive, Richard Angell OBE, said: "We need as many people from the HIV community as possible to share their views on how we can achieve zero HIV transmissions by 2030. Because while we’ve made tremendous progress, including the fight for PrEP access on the NHS, the roll out of opt-out HIV testing in high prevalence parts of the country and the overturning of stigmatising laws, our current pace of change is much too slow."

"Together, we can make sure the new Action Plan delivers for everyone living with HIV and ends new HIV cases once and for all.”

Read more about our collaboration and make your voice heard.

How can a new HIV Action Plan achieve the 2030 goals and support everyone to live well with HIV? | Terrence Higgins Trust Introducing a new collaboration between National AIDS Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust, and Elton John AIDS Foundation

Are community organisations the key to reaching zero HIV cases by 2030?

Our Chief Executive Richard Angell OBE was proud to present at the on why the invaluable work of community organisations is key to ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.

Read more and watch Richard's full presentation⬇️

Are community organisations the key to reaching zero? | Terrence Higgins Trust Terrence Higgins Trust’s Chief Executive presents at the opening plenary of AIDS 2024, Munich.

Stigma hurts people more than HIV. Today, HIV is treatable and effective medication means it can’t be passed on. But stigma towards people living with HIV still exists, and still hurts. Zero HIV Stigma Day is today.

Stigma hurts people more than HIV. Today, HIV is treatable and effective medication means it can’t be passed on. But stigma towards people living with HIV still exists, and still hurts. Zero HIV Stigma Day is on Sunday 21 July.

Pride is a time to celebrate LGBT+ communities. They have been some of the loudest voices in the fight against HIV.

It's also a time when people, brands and venues step up to raise vital funds for us. Here's how you can support our mission to end new HIV cases by 2030 — click the link to find out more about the below.

Introducing Tatty Devine’s Festival of Flowers Earrings. These are perfect to take you from everyday styling to pride celebrations. You’ll also be supporting our life-changing work at the same time, as £5 per earrings sold is donated to our charity.

Next are supporting our work for the third consecutive year with this Pride collaboration. Over June, 10% of proceeds from their charity bouquet will go to us. They also have personalised prints, with 100% of sales going to our charity.

We love DEN’s new Pride t-shirt! All profits will be donated to our charity.

Thank you Tateossian for launching a Pride bracelet in support of our work! For the next three months, 20% of all profits will go to Terrence Higgins Trust.

Open House are donating the proceeds of their Lychee Martini to us over June. They are also hosting a Pride on the Roof party on Saturday 22 June at The Broadcaster pub in White City.

We’re delighted to be partnering with Guinness World Records for the next year. This Pride, they have launched a special collection of merchandise with part of all proceeds donated to us.

Classical Pride at Barbican Centre will be one of the highlights of the summer. Grab your tickets and use the code DIVA for 20% off!

Celebrate Pride with Proud Beer. For every can you purchase, 20p is donated to LGBT+ charities, including us.

After the success of last year's Big Shave Off at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, we're returning this summer in London and Brighton for an evening of amazing people braving the shave live on stage. There's still time to register and support our work.

We only have one charity shop, which is part of what makes Boutique so special. Come see the fantastic team to find your Pride outfit.

We've also partnered with MUBI to offer you 30 days free streaming of LGBT+ films.

Thank you for supporting us this Pride!
https://www.tht.org.uk/news/eleven-ways-support-terrence-higgins-trust-pride-season

NEW: Public Health Scotland data shows STI rates at record highs, with a 56% rise in gonorrhoea cases since 2019.

Today’s figures show there were 13,400 chlamydia cases and 5,999 gonorrhoea cases reported in Scotland in 2023.

Our Head of Scotland Services, Alan Eagleson, said: “The continued rise of s*xually transmitted infections in Scotland is of significant concern and clearly demonstrates that our approach to s*xual health in Scotland must adapt if we are to avert this crisis.

Today’s data shows that rates of gonorrhoea have once again hit historical highs, rising by 56% since 2019. Diagnoses of chlamydia are also on the increase – it’s continuing to disproportionately impact young women in Scotland. This must come as a wake-up call to the Scottish Government and prompt urgent investment into vital s*xual health services across the country.

While the publication of Scotland’s Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan last year and the proposed move towards a wellbeing approach to s*xual health was welcome, this Action Plan did not go far enough in recognising the magnitude of the problem in Scotland following the pandemic or in providing the scale of investment needed to combat it.

Testing for STIs needs to be made easily accessible for anyone who needs it, starting with the delivery of the Scottish Governments long-promised national STI online postal self-sampling service. Long-term planning and funding for our essential s*xual health services – in both the NHS and third sector – also needs to be prioritised by the Scottish Government so that these services can appropriately react to rising rates of STIs and promote good s*xual wellbeing across the country/

If we are to ensure that everyone has good s*xual health – and indeed if we are to end new cases of HIV by 2030 – we need robust s*xual health services that are appropriately funded and easily accessible.”

Gonorrhoea cases hit record high in Scotland last year, figures show GONORRHOEA cases in Scotland reached record levels last year, according to the latest figures.

Congratulations to our Chief Executive Richard Angell for being awarded an OBE for services to charity in the King’s Birthday Honours.

"I am thankful to our founders, Terry Higgins' partner Rupert Whitaker OBE and friend Martyn Butler OBE, for setting up Terrence Higgins Trust in Terry's memory and altering the course of the HIV epidemic.

“The charity has changed lives for the last four decades and continues to do so. I am thankful to my predecessors Sir Nick Partridge and Ian Green OBE as well as the amazing team at Terrence Higgins Trust for their foresight, passion, skill and dedication.

“Considering the struggles of the charity sector, more than ever we can only do our crucial work because of our incredible supporters — the people who sell red ribbons, bake cakes, run marathons and donate their hard earned cash. Thank you.

"I pay tribute to those lost from untreated HIV over the years, including those I've known and loved personally. Terrence Higgins Trust will do everything in its power to end this epidemic and ensure we are here until the last person living with HIV needs us."

Our amazing supporter Richard is taking part in our Big Shave Off at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London on Thursday 11 July.

Here’s why he’s decided to fundraise for us.

“I’m looking forward to the Big Shave Off in July. I’ll be shaving my chest, and while I do give myself an occasional trim, a shave will be a whole new experience – especially being shaved on stage! I’ve set a goal of £500 but would love to raise so much more. At 54, this is just my second foray into fundraising – the first was producing a charity LGBTQIA+ calendar for our LGBT staff network to raise money for a local LGBT charity.

Supporting Terrence Higgins Trust is a great opportunity on a personal basis, and I’ve learned a lot more about HIV. I know people who have been affected directly by HIV but haven’t truly understood what they could be going through. The very least I can do is to raise some money to help Terrence Higgins Trust continue their crucial work to end new cases of HIV by 2030.

I’m currently co-lead of the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network at East London NHS Trust and I’ve always been an avid ally of the LGBT+ community. I wanted to move from being an ‘armchair ally’ to having a practical role and taking action, so that staff members who are part of this community do feel more comfortable with being at work.

I can’t wait for the shave and I’m planning to bring lots of our fabulous LGBTQIA+ staff network members to the event – they are the loveliest of people!”

We’re so grateful for fundraisers like Richard! We couldn’t do what we do without their invaluable support.

If you’d like to brave a shave for Team Terry, sign up today via our website. You can also email [email protected] for any questions.

Our supporter Richard tells us why he’s braving a shave at this year’s Big Shave Off | Terrence Higgins Trust Richard explains why he’s losing some hair to support people affected by HIV and our work at Terrence Higgins Trust.

Today would’ve been Terry Higgins’ 79th birthday. But in 1982 he was one of the first in the UK to die from AIDS-related illnesses.

After his death, Terry’s partner and friends formed our charity in his name. He is just one of a lost generation taken by the HIV epidemic. Every day we do what we do in memory of Terry and the millions of lives lost to HIV.

We were proud to create the Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt with The Quilters' Guild of The British Isles to remember the life that has inspired so many to fight for progress around HIV.

Happy birthday, Terry.

We could not deliver our services for people living with HIV without our amazing volunteers.

Our volunteers include over 30 employment mentors, 17 My Community Forum volunteers, and 8 peer support group facilitators.

They’re also helping shape the future our services. Last week, My Community Forum volunteers from all across the country got together to discuss how we keep improving our online peer support forum.

Our volunteers have such a big impact. Sebastian joined us less than a year ago as a speaker in our Positive Voices program, but he’s already seeing the difference he’s made. “The more you speak about HIV, the more waves you create and the bigger impact you have." He’s now helping to organise a new UK-wide programme educating employees at his workplace, Amazon, about HIV.

Roland, a dedicated volunteer since 2009, has worn many hats with us, from delivering workshops to mentoring to being a Positive Voices speaker.

He says that, through volunteering, “you become part of a community.” One example of this from when he was running a workshop for newly diagnosed people. He found out one of the participants was turning 21, so Roland brought along a cake. “At the break, I said ‘Let's celebrate that you are here and that you have a long and healthy life ahead of you.' He broke down in tears. In these groups, you can physically see people getting more relaxed and confident and it means so much to be part of their journey.”

Cahir, as well as being a Positive Voices volunteer, has been fundraising for Terrence Higgins Trust, including by bucket shaking at tube stations and running the London Marathon. “Bucket collections every year at Pride are really fun and a great way to meet people that may not know much about what Terrence Higgins Trust does. I love educating people about Undetectable=Untransmittable. Last year was particularly special because I was bucket shaking with my boyfriend.”

Thank you to all our incredible volunteers! 💖

New UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) STI data shows rates at record highs and severe inequalities.

The figures show there were 401,800 s*xually transmitted infections (STIs) reported in England in 2023 – a 5% rise on the previous year.

Our Chief Executive, Richard Angell, said: “It is no surprise that the lowest spending on s*xual health has led to the highest rates of s*xually transmitted infections.

Today’s data shows a year-on-year increase of STIs and demand for services. This must come as a wake-up call – and with less than five weeks until the polls open, we urge the next UK Government to commit to a national strategy and funding that sets a clear direction for improving s*xual health in England. This includes a year-on-year, above-inflation increase in funding for the local authority public health grant.

Rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis were already shockingly high and we have seen another increase in the 2023 data. Almost every local authority in the country has seen an increase in gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases remain high. Alongside this increase, we are seeing a continuation of health inequalities as every year, STIs disproportionately impact gay, bis*xual and men who have s*x with men, some ethnic minority groups and young people.

Test positivity rates for chlamydia are stable for young women, but they are more than three times as high for young women of Black Caribbean ethnicity as compared to young women of White ethnicity. Fewer screens were delivered to young women under the National Chlamydia Screening Programme despite changes to the programme limiting its scope to this group. The number of STI diagnoses in gay and bis*xual men also increased in this period – and as it stands, the government have no plan to change this.

Sexual health services are doing even more with even less. Demand for services increased again this year, while there has been a 40% real terms cut to public health funding since 2015/15. This pressure was exacerbated by mpox, which left clinics in the most affected areas unable to provide HIV and STI testing, HIV prevention and access to contraception due to the displacement of these core and vital services. These cuts are compromising access to services, with more than half now unable to offer face-to-face appointments for people presenting without symptoms, even though many STIs can be asymptomatic. We need to ensure there are services accessible for this level of demand, which is why an increase in the public health grant as part of a multi-year settlement is essential in improving the nation’s s*xual health.

It's great to news that there’s been a 50% decrease in ge***al warts among young women age 15 to 17 since 2019. The life-saving HPV vaccination programme has had a huge impact in driving down rates of both HPV-related warts and HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer. JCVI has recommended a vaccine for gonorrhoea and mpox, but it is yet to be rolled out. This must happen quickly."

More straight people suffer from syphilis as cases hit highest level since 1948 There were a total of 9,513 diagnoses in 2023, figures show.