Lancashire HIV Activist Dies

posted: 25/05/2010

Lancashire man, Marc Rushton, who campaigned to raise awareness of HIV, and who co-founded the East Lancashire HIV charity THRIVINE, has just died. His funeral will be on Thursday 27 May at St Mary’s Church, Oswaldtwistle, at 10am. 
 

Marc Rushton, 42, was diagnosed with HIV under two years ago. He died peacefully in hospital last Tuesday following a brain haemorrhage. Marc, a businessman, told his story to the Lancashire Telegraph for an article challenging HIV stigma, which appeared last World Aids Day.
 

Ill and fighting stigma
He was already very ill, but was determined to help remove HIV stigma and secure more funding to help people affected. Speaking to the paper last October, he said: “I've had an amazing life so I don't feel sorry for myself. I feel like I've been given this for a reason and I have to talk about it. HIV is massively on the increase in East Lancashire. And it's not just gay people, it's not just drug users, it is heterosexual people.
 

"The UK has the highest rates in Europe. I think half of the stigma around HIV is attached to a lack of understanding. If you don't catch it early enough and if you don't get medicine then it's more likely to become full-blown AIDS. That is why we're stressing to everybody to get tested.”
 

Thrivine founder and treasurer
Marc, of Accrington, was a co-founder, trustee and treasurer of Thrivine, a HIV support group based at Eanam Wharf, Blackburn, which helps people living with HIV in East Lancashire.
 

Adrienne's comments

Adrienne Seed, the chair of Thrivine and a close friend of Marc, praised his bravery and said it was fitting he passed away on the date of their first AGM. She said: “I am sure that Marc chose his moment, that he was with us at that point saying goodbye to us all; to his positive comrades in arms. I know how much Thrivine meant to him and how important it would be to him that we carry on. We always laughed together even when he was going through what to other people would be considered as insurmountable health problems.
 

“Marc had an unfailing optimism that denied how ill he really was. I knew how ill he was but somehow I thought he’d survive. I think he knew in his heart he didn’t have much time. His time may have run out but his legacy will never be forgotten. I will make sure of that.”
 

Donations and funeral

Marc’s funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church in Oswaldtwistle, at 10am on Thursday, May 27.
 

Donations in memory of Marc can be made to Thrivine c/o Hyndburn Funeral Services, Queen's Road, Accrington.
 

Thrivine

Source

THRIVINE Blackburn Open Day

posted: 12/05/2010

THRIVINE, the HIV community orgnaisation in Blackburn, East Lancashire, will hold an Open Day and celebrate its first year, on Friday May 28th between 2pm and 5pm at its base, Unit 20, Eanam Wharf, Blackburn Business Development Centre, Blackburn, BB1 5PL.

Around 6 months ago THRIVINE moved from the warm embrace of the Jarman Centre to its own place. The move was exciting and challenging with many hurdles and new things to learn.

The Annual General Meeting on 18 May is cancelled 

Blackburn Thrivine Meeting

posted: 04/05/2010

UPDATE 11 May 2010 - This AGM is cancelled.

THRIVINE, the HIV community in Blackburn, East Lancashire, has its first Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 18th May 2010 at their office on Eanam Wharf.

Around 6 months ago THRIVINE moved from the warm embrace of the Jarman Centre to its own place. The move was exciting and challenging with many hurdles and new things to learn.

Find out for yourself what THRIVINE has been up to and its plans for the year.

The Annual General Metting starts at 6pm.

To book a place at the Annual General Meeting please email THRIVINE or print out the attached document, complete it and then please post it to            

THRIVINE
Unit 20
Blackburn Business Development Centre
Eanam Wharf
Blackburn
BB1 5PL

 

Please note that THRIVINE at Eanam Wharf does not have disabled access. They apologise for this inconvenience.
 

Lancaster HIV Support

posted: 02/02/2010

Lancaster has a monthly HIV support group meeting in the town centre once a month on Thursday evenings. It's a place for social contact, information and advice, and sharing your experiences with others.

The meeting dates and times for 2010 are now all arranged. The North Lancashire HIV+ Social Support Group meets every second Thursday of the month from 7pm to 9pm.

Every 2nd Thursday each month, at 7 - 9pm 

The dates for 2010 are

• Thursday 11 February
• Thursday 11 March
• Thursday 8 April
• Thursday 13 May
• Thursday 10 June
• Thursday 8 July
• Thursday 12 August
• Thursday 9 September
• Thursday 14 October
• Thursday 11 November
• Thursday 9 December 2010. 

The group is open to everyone living with HIV regardless of age, gender, sexuality, race or nationality.

To find out more about the group and where it meets in central Lancaster, please call

• Sue 07825 207 024
• Peter 07855 342 732
   
• or email

World AIDS Day - Lancashire

posted: 28/10/2009

World AIDS Day (1 December) is being made a red letter day across Lancashire. Here’s the events we already know about.

Pantomine and Cabaret
25 November Red Ribbon Pantomine @ Twaites Theatre Blackburn
27 November Red Ribbon Cabaret @ 53 degrees, UCLAN, Preston
Full details here

Ormskirk Clubbing
WAD 1st December
Outrageous club in Ormskirk, WAD fundraiser for CLASS (CLASS provide HIV support from Preston for people in central Lancashire)

HIV Vigil - Preston and Blackburn
WAD Vigil, 7.30pm St Johns Minster, Church Street, Preston
WAD Vigil, 7.30pm (to be confirmed) Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn

Event
Friday 4th December, Preston FLAG Market (Market Square) Celebrating life with HIV event - we've not been told when - email Andy Thompson the LGBT community worker at SHIVER 

Schools and Colleges Awareness - Blackpool
From 6 December there’s a week of awareness in several schools as part of the 'Respect' week. There will be speakers on ‘respect’ issues such as domestic violence, homophobic bullying and sexual health.
A speaker living with HIV will give an informal talk on Friday 4 December to 6th form students who are being trained as teenage peer educators, and to the whole sixth form in the following week.

iPhone quiz prize for school and college students
lAndy Thompson, SHIVER’s LGBT worker and a colleague will give short talks on HIV at several school assemblies. A free Q&A quiz about HIV will award the winner an iPhone and is already drawing much student interest, promoted by the poster produced by the 6th form to advertise it.

Teenage peer educators The teenage peer educators are making a short film for these school assemblies which will include sound bites and clips from programmes popular with teens, such as Holyoaks which has a current Malachy and HIV storyline. 

Red Ribbons for donations will be widely available at the schools and colleges during this fortnight.

Video at Blackpool council customer centre
On a continuous display loop is a short video presentation in the Customer First Centre of Blackpool borough council; this will run for two weeks from 23rd November to 6 December.
 

This short video will also be shown in all the local LGBT venues on and around the 1st.

Mardi Gras club vigil - Blackpool
A short service and vigil will be held in the Blackpool gay club Mardi Gras on the Saturday 28 November and on Tuesday 1 December
 

Flying Handbag - Blackpool

There’s a charity all-dayer at the Flying Handbag on Sunday the 6 December to raise money for next year. £2 on the door.