Staff and volunteers from The Sussex Beacon will be at Brighton train station on November 30thhanding out red ribbons and raising funds for local people living with HIV.
On December the 1stteams will be doing bucket collections on London Road and St James’s Street. Brighton’s Wagamama, RBS and a number of bars and pubs are also raising money for the charity.
In the evening, representatives from The Sussex Beacon will be attending the World AIDS Day vigil, taking place at the AIDS Memorial in New Steine Gardens and the World AIDS Day concert afterwards at St Mary’s Church.
Simon Dowe, Chief Executive of The Sussex Beacon said,
The Sussex Beacon began life as an HIV hospice and World AIDS Day is a special opportunity to remember those who have died with AIDS since the epidemic began. It’s also a day to raise awareness, tackle stigma and support those living with HIV today. The community in Brighton are always hugely supportive and we’re so grateful. Their donations help to ensure we can be there for people with HIV if they need us.
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988. The red ribbon was the first awareness ribbon ever created, and is now used in a different colour by many other causes. The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘Let’s End It’, with the aim of ending isolation, stigma and HIV transmission itself.
The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care to hundreds of people living with HIV a year, offering both inpatient and outpatient services to improve health and promote independence. Those using the charity’s services may be facing serious HIV related illnesses, dealing with mental health issues or struggling to cope with the side effects of new drug regimes. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the independent health regulator, The Sussex Beacon provides first class care and support to those in need.
