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World AIDS Day 2022

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Across Scotland, Waverley Care marked World AIDS Day 2022 with events, testing, and campaigning.

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Thursday 1st December 2022 marked World AIDS Day – an opportunity to remember those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS, and to raise awareness about the stigma that continues to surround the condition. Up and down the country our team were busy holding events, offering testing, and campaigning to mark the day.

 

Events and Fundraising

Across Scotland, Waverley Care took over MAC Cosmetics’ stores. Since 2002, MAC has donated over £780,000 to Waverley Care from the sale of their VIVA GLAM lipsticks, and this year they went even bigger. 100% of the proceeds from all lipsticks purchased were donated to the VIVA Glam fund and, to entice people in, staff offered free drag make-up workshops and body painting demonstrations.

Development Manager for Minority Ethnic Health Ese Johnson and Community Engagement Coordinator Margaret Lance joined the fun in Glasgow, and Fundraising Manager Matt Middler visited MAC’s team in Aberdeen.

Fundraising for Waverley Care at MAC Aberdeen

In Inverness, Health Improvement Coordinator Debbie Lees organised for the iconic Ness Bridge to be lit up red for World AIDS Day, in collaboration with NHS Highland Public Health and Highland Sexual Health, and in Edinburgh our fundraisers and volunteers braved the rain to collect donations in the city centre.

Events also took place online. After visiting MAC, Ese held an online event for people from minority ethnic communities about the power of sharing your HIV story. Ese shared his personal story of living with HIV and had conversations with the attendees about HIV prevention methods.

 

Testing

Having as many people as possible know their status is one of the most important means to reaching zero HIV transmissions by 2030. Our teams offered free, confidential HIV testing in Edinburgh, Oban, and Inverness to members of the public.

 

Policy and Campaigns

Signings of the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities took place in Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, with each of the councils committing to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030. Our Chief Executive Grant Sugden attended the signings of the Declaration in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Paris Declaration signed in Glasgow.

He then visited the Parliament for a photocall with MSPs, where he was joined by Policy and Campaigns Officer Anna Cowan. After the photo session, both attended a debate in the Chamber to mark World AIDS Day. The debate is available to watch here.

 

In the Media

Our staff, peer mentors, and service users were featured on the radio and in several newspapers sharing their stories and raising awareness about HIV. You can read or listen to Waverley Care’s media appearances below.