Blackburn Positive Picture Project

posted: 17/06/2010

It does not matter if you are doing really well, or going through a bad time. We all have times when we find it difficult to express our thoughts and feelings in words.

In Blackburn, Thrivine is offering Art Therapy on summer Saturday afternoons.  Art Therapy offers you a way to express and communicate your thoughts and feelings in paints, clay, or other materials.

You do not need to be artistic, or know about art, to benefit.

It is fun and very enjoyable.

Thrivine's Art Therapy - the Positive Picture Project - will be facilitated by qualified people, in a safe space.

If you are infected, or affected by HIV, this could benefit you.

You can choose to come to one or more sessions, or all of the sessions.

Public transport expenses can be reimbursed, should you require.

Positive Picture Project
Saturdays, 2pm to 5pm on these dates

• 17th   July
• 24th   July
• 31st   July
• 7th   August
• 14th   August 
• 21st   August 
• 28th   August 

Where Thrivine will tell you where Positive Picture Project meets after you book, for confidentiality

Book your place     email, or call Adrienne on 07890 147806
Find out more           email, or call Adrienne on 07890 147806
 

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.
 

image

Infant Feeding Guide

posted: 23/04/2010

The advice for new mothers with HIV is not to breastfeed, but to use milk formula instead, because there is a small risk of HIV transmission through breast milk. New, draft, guidance from the British HIV and Children’s HIV Associations (BHIVA/CHIVA) updates this message and continues to advise women in the UK not to breastfeed, whatever the woman's viral load and antiretroviral therapy.
 

Milk formula is best

All HIV positive mothers should be supported to formula-feed their infants. This means that formula milk and appropriate equipment (including sterilisers and bottles) must be freely available, as part of the package of care to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
 

In the UK the risk of mother-to child transmission from a woman who is on HAART and has a consistently undetectable HIV viral load is likely to be low, but we don’t know the exact risk.
 

Although formula feeding is still the best and safest option in the UK to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV, if a woman is on effective HAART and chooses to exclusively breast-feed having carefully considered this advice, she should be supported to do so as safely, and for as short a period, as possible.
 

Don't mix breast and formula
The exact risk of mixing breastfeeding with milk formula feeding is not known, but mixed feeding is not recommended. If there is to be any breastfeeding, breast feed only. 

Intensive support and monitoring of the mother and infant is recommended during any breast-feeding period.

Monthly maternal viral load testing is recommended.

To identify any drug toxicity or HIV transmission in the infant, monthly HIV assessment is advised.

Draft Infant feeding guidance
Comments by Friday 21 May 2010 here please