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February is LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK and to mark this year’s...

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February is LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK and to mark this year’s month we are setting out our latest initiatives to ensure these vital stories are never forgotten. While our work and archive are as diverse as the people who have been affected by HIV, central to the stories from the pandemic will always be the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Of course, many people will know the headlines from the 1980s and 1990s pandemic, but it is vital that individuals’ stories are told: the stories that really explain the impact of the virus on them, their friends, and their loved ones. We have always been honest about how the stories we’ve collected represent some incredibly dark moments as people revisit their losses, but they are also triumphant, with inspiring examples of humanity shining through too.

 

So what exactly are we doing to keep these stories alive? Well…

 

In 2023 the NHST made 100 of our filmed interviews available to the general public by arranging free access to the collection held at the London Archives. Last year we continued to celebrate the rich and personal history of HIV and AIDS by announcing the launch of our latest project, HIVstory

 

This year will see the project grow significantly as the team takes a diverse selection of those stories to communities all over the UK. Working with amazing partners The Royal College of Nursing, The London Archives and Newcastle University, the project team will hold events in communities that may not typically be aware of the stories of HIV.

 

Along with our touring pop-up exhibition, we are also making many of the interviews accessible through the project’s website. Tapping into the team’s archival experience, we will also be launching apprenticeships to ensure the skills that are so vital to keeping alive these – and other – stories are passed on.

 

As the first generation of people living with HIV now reach their older years, it remains imperative that we secure and tell their stories – in their own words – which we will continue to do via public speaking events and through our educational programme (contact us via [email protected] to book a speaker!).

 

We will also continue to find new ways to keep telling these stories – from our social media spotlight campaigns, to our book Love, Loss and Life and accompanying podcast.

 

Although HIVstory is funded through a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and thanks to National Lottery players, our day-to-day work is reliant entirely on contributions from our generous donors and supporters. We are grateful for any donation you are able to make to support us in our work here.

 

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Your generous support helps us to secure, preserve and protect the stories of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. In doing so, we can ensure the stories continue to be retold to younger generations, including through the arts and education.

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