News: 12/2024 | George House Trust
News: 12/2024
18 Dec

Support during the holidays

By Alex Sparrowhawk 0 Comments

Wow, where has 2024 gone? It’s been such a busy year for us at George House Trust, building the team, developing our service offer and lots of fundraising to ensure we can deliver the services and support that people living with HIV need. I can’t thank every member of the team and our volunteers enough for everything they’ve done to support us over the year.

 

On World AIDS Day, our Advice, Support and Information Services Manager, Alex and I were at Downing Street when the Prime Minister announced the continued investment in HIV opt-out testing in Emergency Departments, both ensuring that more people know their HIV status and tackling HIV stigma in healthcare settings. As a result, 2025 is going to start with a bang and we’re going to see an expansion of HIV Peer Support across Greater Manchester and Liverpool, meaning that we’ll be visible in more HIV clinics, offering more direct support to people living with HIV, alongside the clinical team.

 

We’re also coming of age in 2025 and we have a massive programme of activities and events led by Joe who’ll be sharing lots about what’s coming up over the next few months to mark George House Trust’s 40th year, a year of respect for all those who we’ve lost, reflection on how far we’ve come and a celebration of the amazing achievements of everyone who’s been involved in the making of George House Trust, past and present.

 

From me, for now, make sure that you take care of yourself over the next couple of weeks. We know it can be a time of joy and a time of sadness too, that’s why the team will be here for you over Christmas. If you need us during the holidays, you can telephone the team on 0161 274 4499 on 27th, 30th, 31st December and 2nd January between 11am – 3pm. We’ll be back open as normal from Friday 3rd January 2025.

 

I look forward to what 2025 brings for us all.

 

Best wishes,

Darren

Friday, 13 December, 2024
13 Dec

Children, Young People and Families Worker

By Alex Sparrowhawk 0 Comments

Children, Young People and Families Worker

 

14 hours per week.

 

Salary - NJC SCP 18 [£30,559 pro rata, £12,223 actual]

 

The purpose of this role is to deliver high quality services to children and young people living with HIV, working alongside the paediatric HIV team at North Manchester General Hospital. Support young adults to transition into adult HIV care and treatment services.

 

You will find a recruitment pack with a detailed person specification and job description here.

 

You can apply for this role in writing in MS Word format [or similar - please don’t PDF your application]. In no more than 2,000 words, tell us why you want to work for George House Trust, what you would bring to the role, and how you meet the key areas of focus for the role, taking into account the Person Specification you will find in the recruitment pack together with an up-to-date copy of your CV.

 

Please also complete and submit our demographic monitoring form which you can find here. The form will be stored separately from your application and will not be used as part of the shortlisting process. 

 

We are actively encouraging applications from people living with HIV for this role.

 

Your completed application and CV. should be submitted to recruitment@ght.org.uk by 5pm on Monday 6 January 2025.

 

Interviews will be held in early January 2025. 

 

George House Trust is a Disability Confident, Living Wage and Open To All employer. 

Friday, 13 December, 2024
07 Dec

We're hiring! Head of Fundraising, Communications and Engagement

By Darren Knight 0 Comments

Head of Fundraising, Communications and Engagement

 

28 hours per week [0.8 full time equivalent/FTE].

 

Salary: starting at £42,708 FTE [NJC SCP 33]

 

George House Trust is recruiting a Head of Fundraising, Communications and Engagement to ensure that we can continue to meet the diverse needs of people living with HIV. This key leadership role will have responsibility for developing and implementing our new ‘Friends of George House Trust’ involvement strategy, together with having oversight of our fundraising and communications plans and activities, working with our Fundraising Manager and colleagues across the team to deliver our ambitious fundraising intentions for our 40th year in 2025 and beyond.

 

You will find a recruitment pack with a detailed person specification and job description here: 

https://ght.org.uk/sites/ght.org.uk/files/head_of_fundraising_communications_and_engagement_recruitment_pack_-_december_2024_0.pdf 

 

You can apply for this role in writing [in MS Word format or similar], following the application guidance outlined in the Recruitment Pack. Please don't submit your application or CV in PDF, picture or locked file format as we remove personal identifying information through the recruitment process.

 

Please also complete and submit your demographic monitoring form which you can find here. The form will be stored separately from your application and will not be used as part of the shortlisting process. 

 

We ALWAYS actively encourage applications from people living with HIV.

 

Your completed application and CV. should be submitted to recruitment@ght.org.uk by 12pm on Friday 3rd January 2025.

 

Interviews will be held Friday 10th January 2025. 

 

George House Trust is a Disability Confident, Living Wage and Open To All employer. 

Saturday, 7 December, 2024
01 Dec

New HIV and Beauty Guide launches on World AIDS Day

By Alex Sparrowhawk 0 Comments

 

Accessing hair and beauty is everyone’s right

 

On World AIDS Day 2024, George House Trust launch the UK’s first HIV and Beauty guide for professionals working in the hair and beauty industries.

 

Understanding HIV A guide for hair and beauty professionals [PDF] is a collaboration between George House Trust and top beauty industry expert and educator, Sam Marshall.

 

It is designed to empower hair and beauty professionals to become fully HIV-inclusive businesses. It provides up-to-date HIV facts and science with best practice guidelines to support and educate hair and beauty practitioners about HIV and how to eliminate HIV discrimination in hair and beauty settings.

 

By raising awareness of the facts around HIV, this guide aims to end discrimination within the beauty, hair and barbering industry and to help reduce HIV stigma in wider society.

 

Darren Knight, Chief Executive of George House Trust said:

 

“We are proud to partner with Sam Marshall to develop this important guide for the beauty industry. Someone’s HIV status must never be a barrier to accessing beauty services.

We want to support the beauty industry to improve understanding around HIV and provide an effective toolkit for the whole industry. We found from our research that 52% of people have been refused a treatment due to their HIV status and this shows there is still unnecessary and unacceptable stigma attached to living with HIV, and a lack of awareness around the advances in treatment and what that means for people living with HIV.

We hope that by launching this HIV and Beauty Guide, we will bring the issue to the forefront, across this sector and beyond.”

 

Sam Marshall, The Beauty Guru said:

 

“I’m delighted to have spearheaded the UK’s first HIV Beauty Guide alongside George House Trust. It will help us move towards a more inclusive industry, something I’m extremely passionate about.

I implore all beauty professionals to put the guide into practice, in particular removing the HIV status questionnaire from the consultation process. Beauty practitioners do not need to know someone’s HIV status to undertake beauty, hair, or cosmetic procedures, even those that produce blood or are considered invasive.

Thanks to effective treatment, people living with HIV cannot pass it on. Additionally, universal hygiene protocols (which should be standard practice in any professional salon) will eliminate the risk of any blood-borne virus being transmitted.

As an inclusive beauty salon, we would never ask clients for their status as it is irrelevant and unnecessary. Beauty is for everyone and we believe that everyone who wants to access beauty services should feel comfortable in doing so.”

 

Download the guide [PDF].

 

Find out more about our HIV and Beauty work.

 

Sunday, 1 December, 2024
01 Dec

World AIDS Day 2024

By Alex Sparrowhawk 0 Comments

 

World AIDS Day 2024

World AIDS Day is Sunday 1 December, it gives us all an opportunity to come together those we have lost, and stand in solidarity with people around the world who are living with HIV. Read on to find out what we and our partners are doing to mark World AIDS Day 2024.

 

A message from our Chief Exec, Darren Knight

 

World AIDS Day on the 1st December gives us all at George House Trust the chance to shine a light on something that not a lot of people think about every day. It is a day to remember those lost, reflect on the challenges people living with HIV still face, educate everyone on the facts and challenge myths and celebrate how far we’ve come.

 

This year the focus for World AIDS Day is ‘Take the rights path’, encouraging everyone to work together to tackle the inequalities that exist globally and locally and take action, ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has the right to quality healthcare services.

 

World AIDS Day also gives us the opportunity to make our own contribution. You may choose to wear the red ribbon with pride, you may be volunteering or you may tell people the facts about HIV; you may be doing all of that and more. You may spend time thinking about the massive strides made in treatment, the positive change in attitudes or you may be thinking about a friend or loved one lost. It may be a day where you think about your own situation; it may be tough for you and we understand that. Myself and the team at George House Trust want you to know that whatever happens for you on World AIDS Day, we’re always here for you. Whatever you’re doing, thank you.

 

If you're able to join us at the national vigil with our partners and the British HIV Association in Sackville Gardens, Manchester at 6pm on Sunday 1st December, I'll see you there. Or you may well be attending an event that’s nearer to where you live, or at home with your own candle and thoughts. Wherever you are, rest assured that whatever you’re doing to mark World AIDS Day 2024, we’re all together with you in solidarity.

 

Best wishes,

Darren

 

 

What's on in Greater Manchester

All week our PaSH partners, BHA for Equality and LGBT Foundation have been talking to people across Greater Manchester, testing for HIV and STIs, and providing information about HIV and raising awareness in many different communities. Many of our Positive Speakers have also been sharing their stories of their own experience of HIV at events and educational talks - thank you!

 

This year, all the George House Trust staff team are out and about across Manchester supporting our fundraising volunteers, if you see us in Piccadilly or Victoria Station, or other venues across the city please say hello!

 

We’ll all be meeting at 6pm for the PaSH annual World Aid’s Day Vigil. Join us to remember people we have lost, show our solidarity with people living with HIV around the world and commit ourselves to ending HIV stigma and discrimination.

 

Manchester Vigil in partnership with the British HIV Association

6-7pm Sunday 1 December

Sackville Gardens
Sackville Street
Manchester
M1 3WA

Find out more.

 

What's on in Liverpool

Everyone is welcome to join our friends at Sahir House in remembering those loved and lost to HIV. If you live in Liverpool, please just turn up to vigil, registration is not needed.

Liverpool Vigil

1-2pm Sunday 1 December

Liverpool Parish Church

Chapel Street

L2 8TZ

Find out more.

 

Liverpool Fundraiser for George House Trust

The Albert, Lark Lane in Liverpool are hosting an open mic night and fundraiser for George House Trust this Sunday. Hosted by local drag queen, Xander Helsby prepare to be surprised and entertained through an evening of comedy and song!

World AIDS Day Open Mic Night

7.30-10.30pm Sunday 1 December

The Albert

66-68 Lark Lane

Liverpool

L17 8UU

Sunday, 1 December, 2024

Living with HIV? Want to talk to us?
Call 0161 274 4499 or email: talk@ght.org.uk