World AIDS Day, 2011

posted: 23/09/2011

World AIDS Day is marked on the 1st December all over the World – raising awareness and raising money for people living with HIV and AIDS. The noise that we make about HIV and AIDS on this international day is vitally important, as it challenges stigma and discrimination too.

How can you get involved?

Hold a fundraiser

You may choose to fundraise at your workplace or with a local community group.
As a basic fundraising package, this year George House Trust can provide you with Red Ribbons, Collecting tins and HIV awareness leaflets and postcards
If you are interested in fundraising, then contact us with a rough idea of how many people you want to fundraise with.

Sell our red ribbons in your shop or café

If you would be interested in selling red ribbons in aid of GHT, we can provide you with a counter display box and collecting tin. Contact us to arrange.

Volunteer!

Every year - we’re out on the streets selling red ribbons in Manchester city centre with our team of volunteers. If you are interested in joining us on the streets of Manchester, then get in touch.

Attend the Candlelit Vigil

Also in December we organise a candlelit vigil in Sackville Park / Gardens in Central Manchester which is an opportunity to remember those people we have lost to HIV. Any proceeds from the Vigil go to organisations supporting local people living with HIV.

Better Benefit ‘Work’ Tests

posted: 24/11/2010

The government has said it will overhaul its controversial medical tests to decide whether the seriously ill and disabled can claim long-term sickness benefits. An independent review found they were "impersonal, mechanistic and lacked empathy", leaving many claimants feeling unjustly treated and distressed.
 

The review, conducted by the academic Malcolm Harrington, an occupational health specialist, looked at whether the 'working capability assessment' was a fair system. There is mounting evidence that people with serious illnesses, like HIV, are being judged fit for work, when they are not. 40% of people who appeal, win their appeals.
 

Testing 94,000 people a month
The tests, first introduced in October 2008, mean 53,000 people are assessed a month for 'employment and support allowance'. The numbers being tested will balloon from next April as another 41,000 incapacity benefit recipients are re-assessed under the ‘work capability assessment’ every month.
 

Long-term ill and disabled somehow pass ‘work’ tests
Harrington found that the assessments, run by a French multinational, Atos Origin, which received £54m from the coalition government for the contract, failed people with mental illnesses and long-term disabilities.
 

‘Impossible’ 28 page form
One form which claimants needed to complete is 28 pages long and almost half the people "found the questionnaire difficult or impossible to complete".
 

Another problem is that people’s ability to work is measured by a computer questionnaire that uses "descriptors" - questions that are apparently unrelated to work. One example is that people are asked whether they had "loaded a dishwasher or washing machine" that day. "It does not bother to ask whether the claimant has a dishwasher or washing machine. That is the danger with computer systems and drop-down menus," said Harrington.
 

Another question asks if you sit and watch TV. Say yes and they assume you can sit for long periods in a chair.
 

"We want to rely much more on healthcare professionals and assessments., said Harrison..

He pointed out that 40% of those found fit for work by the system appealed and won – and added that most people who appealed provided "additional medical information".
 

Radical change needed
Harrington called for a radical overhaul, with jobcentre staff having to take into account health records, the Atos assessments and an individual's own testimony before making a decision about whether someone on sickness benefits should be forced back into work.
 

At present benefits staff rarely dissented from Atos's verdict, he said, and "a lack of procedural justice can lead people to feel embittered and for some this can lead to psychological distress with affects on physical and mental health".
 

Champions to help
The report also recommends the appointment of lay "champions" to guide claimants through the process, and detailed explanations of why a benefit has been refused.
 

Welcome for review
Many working with the poor and vulnerable welcomed the report, saying it was a long overdue recognition of the system's problems. Citizens Advice said its surveys showed a 41% increase in complaints from claimants in the past year alone.

NAT, National AIDS Trust welcomed the findings and recommendations. They say ‘we fully support the call for change to ‘improve the fairness and effectiveness of the WCA’ by improving transparency, empathy and communication within the assessment process for Employment Support Allowance (ESA)’. NAT were among the 400 organisations and individuals to contribute to the independent review, based on their research report Unseen disability, Unmet needs – A review of the impact of Work Capability Assessment on people living with HIV. Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust), said: ‘NAT supports the recommendations of the independent review and we were extremely pleased to see some of our concerns included in the final report.

Government to make all the changes

The government said it accepted Harrington's conclusions and would implement them in full. The work and pensions minister Chris Grayling said: "There were no targets or goals to get people off benefits. This is meant to be a fair process … we are dealing with claimants who we have had very little contact with."
 

Reform delay criticised

However, Harrington did criticise the government for failing to implement a key recommendation quickly enough: that of a "personalised summary of assessments in plain English" to be produced by Atos. The government could only promise that ministers "explored the feasibility of providing a summary" by the end of 2011. Given the planned expansion in the scheme next year, Harrington said, this "was just not good enough".
 

Charities said the "review pinpoints what is wrong with the system". Matthew Lester of the Papworth Trust, a disability charity, said the main concern now was how quickly the government would implement the report's main findings. "Even if they get the main points implemented by April that will mean another 250,000 people being assessed by a system that we already know is unfair."

NAT report

Source (adapted)

£212 from Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers

posted: 26/08/2010

As part of the Fringe of the Manchester Pride Festival, our Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers - Diary of a HIV Activist evening raised £212. It continued our 25th anniversary celebrations and featured speakers and artists involved in different types of HIV activism over the last 25 years.
 

The ever fabulous Jonathan Mayor, long standing prolific activist Peter Tatchell, the founding fathers of George House Trust, drag king extraordinaire Valentino King and the captivating performance poet Gerry Potter took to the stage in front of an audience of over 90 people at the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club.

YouTube of Jerry Potter's poem that he perfomed on the night and has performed at various HIV and AIDS vigils. It's a piece demonstrating the very centre strength of being queer. A heartfelt battle cry reaching through the decades and constantly involved in the now. A cheer for hope and a decoration adorning gay history.
 

The night was talked about on gaydio and we’ve had appreciative emails saying what a good night it was.
 

Thank you to all who came and showed HIV activism still matters.
 

Manchester Pride Fringe Event

posted: 13/08/2010

Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers - Diary of a HIV Activist    
For the Manchester Pride Fringe Festival, on Tuesday 24 August, Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers is George House Trust’s evening of thought provoking entertainment, at the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club on Oldham Street, Manchester.     
 

25th anniversary fun and perspectives     

Continuing our 25th anniversary celebrations and reflections, Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers - Diary of a HIV Activist is about HIV activism past and present, and features speakers and artists involved in different types of HIV activism over the last 25 years.
 

On the evening we will be joined by the ever fabulous Jonathan Mayor, long standing prolific activist Peter Tatchell, the founding fathers of George House Trust, drag king extraordinaire Valentino King and the captivating performance poet Gerry Potter.Tic

£3 Tickets
Tickets are £3, or £1 concession for unwaged people, and are available through wegottickets.com - click this link to go straight to the page for our event.
 

Doors open at 7:30pm and the event starts at 8pm sharp.
Together we'll explore what HIV activism has been, is and should be, and most importantly - why it's still so keenly needed. Come and join us for this highly entertaining, engaging and inspirational event at the Pride Fringe Festival.
 

Where

Frog and Bucket, 102 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 ILJ - at the top of Oldham Street near the junction with Great Ancoats Street - StreetMap

Manchester Pride Fringe Event

posted: 20/07/2010

Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers - Diary of a HIV Activist

As part of the Manchester Pride Fringe Festival on Tuesday 24 August George House Trust are holding an evening of thought provoking entertainment at the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club on Oldham Street.

Continuing our 25th anniversary celebrations and reflections, the Ribbons, Rallies and Rubbers - Diary of a HIV Activist evening is centred around HIV activism past and present, and will feature speakers and artists involved in HIV activism in its different forms over the years.

On the evening we will be joined by the ever fabulous Jonathan Mayor, long standing prolific activist Peter Tatchell, the founding fathers of George House Trust, drag king extraordinaire Valentino King and the captivating performance poet Gerry Potter.

Tickets

Tickets are £3, or £1 concession for unwaged, and are availble through wegottickets.com This link takes you straight to the page for this event.

Doors open at 7:30pm and the event will start at 8pm sharp.

Together we'll explore what activism has been, is and should be, and most importantly - why it's still so desperately needed. Come and join us for this highly entertaining, engaging and inspirational event over the Pride festival.

Frog and Bucket, 102 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 ILJ  - at the top of Oldham Street near the junction with Great Ancoats Street - StreetMap