Positive Interest July 2011

Supporting people living with HIV or Hepatitis C in Scotland July 2011

In this issue…

3

Annie Lennox in Malawi Supporter Annie Lennox visited our work in Malawi

4

Peer Support Volunteers Hearing ‘me too’ can be an invaluable form of support

4 5

Lord High Commissioner’s Visit

6

Focus on: Highlands, Argyll & Bute

7

Patron Profile – Bob Chilcott Bob answers our questions

7 9

World Hepatitis Day

10 11

Fundraising Diary

Waverley Care, 3 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB www.waverleycare.org

Telephone: 0131 556 9710

Find us on Facebook

Introducing Rik...

We introduce you to our Employability & Skills Worker

#laffoffstigma – Win £100 in Amazon vouchers!

Christmas Cards

Email: fund@waverleycare.org

Follow us on Twitter

Scottish Charity No. SC036500 Company Limited by Guarantee No. 253043

Welcome

Welcome Summer is here again and it is lovely to enjoy the long days and milder weather after such a harsh winter.

A number of our groups have been making the most of the weather, particularly our walking group and our children and young people’s group who have been out in the fresh air.

We are especially hoping for good weather during August though, for all of our fundraising and awareness activities at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Find out about our #laffoffstigma Campaign on page 9, which will run throughout August.

Our Fundraising Diary on page 10 will tell you what shows to book to support Waverley Care and if you’re at the Pleasance, please drop some change in our volunteer collectors’ buckets. Last year we raise almost £30,000 and would be delighted to match or even beat that total.

This will be my last Fringe Festival as Director of Waverley Care as, after nearly 17 years with the charity, I have announced my retirement effective at the end of the year.

My time as Director has been both an amazing and humbling experience and I fully intend to remain a supporter and be involved in the charity on a voluntary basis.

One of the great pleasures of working with Waverley Care has been seeing at first hand the support and friendship amongst service users, volunteers, staff and supporters. This has always been a huge encouragement. Thank you.

I hope to see many of you over the next few months as I prepare to handover the reins to someone new later in the year.

With warmest wishes

David Johnson, Director

2

Positive Interest July 2011

Features

Annie Lennox in Malawi

Waverley Care supporter, Annie Lennox, recently visited Malawi as a special envoy for the Scottish Parliamentary Association on HIV & AIDS. Out of a population of 14 million, almost 1 million people in Malawi are living with HIV. Waverley Care is a partner in two projects in Malawi, funded by the Scottish Government. Annie visited our

Yankhulani project, run in partnership with Yoneco, which promotes the rights of Malawian young people to access good quality sexual health services. The project also supports HIV and AIDS services in five areas of Malawi.

The second project we’re involved with is called Pezani Mwayi and addresses the prevention, treatment and care of people with HIV/AIDS in socially hard to reach groups e.g. sex workers and gay men.

Annie reported back to the Scottish Parliament on her visit by showing them a film of her trip. View the film on our website, www.waverleycare.org/annie

Positive Ageing Conference In April, Positive Scotland, the joint project between Waverley Care and Terrence Higgins Trust, held a highly successful conference on ageing with HIV. It is likely that, by 2020, half the HIV population in Scotland will be over 50. The conference opened up the debate about the unique issues that this group faces as they age, from the stigma and discrimination that people still experience, to the fact that some will have made little or no financial provision for the future.

The outcomes of the conference are being used to inform the work of Positive Scotland in this area. Thanks to our funders HIV Stigma Index, Merck Sharpe & Dohme and the Big Lottery Fund.

To read more about the conference findings and see the conference slides, go to: www.waverleycare.org/positiveageing

July 2011 Positive Interest

3

News

© www.thomashaywood.com

Peer support volunteers

One of the aspects of our work that we are most proud of is seeing service users move from receiving support to providing support for others. Our Peer Support Service introduces someone living with HIV or Hep C to a trained volunteer who is living with the same condition.

Speaking to someone who understands and can say ‘me too’ is an invaluable form of support for people, especially those who are newly diagnosed.

Peer support volunteers are able to share their first-hand experiences of events and issues such as diagnosis, disclosing their HIV or Hep C status to friends and family, and dealing with stigma and discrimination.

The relief and inspiration felt by service users is often immense when they meet someone who, like them, thought their world would fall apart with an HIV / Hep C diagnosis, and who has gone on to work towards a healthy and fulfilling future.

Lord High Commissioner’s Visit On May 21st His Grace, The Lord High Commissioner and Her Grace, Lady Wilson visited our Milestone Respite Centre and joined residents for Afternoon Tea. The Lord High Commissioner is the Queen’s personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Led on a tour of Milestone by Waverley Care’s Chairman, Tom Wood, and Director, David Johnson, Lord and Lady Wilson’s visit provided a real morale booster for both residents and staff.

4

Positive Interest July 2011

Introducing...

Introducing... Rik Rik Hodgson is Positive Scotland’s Employability and Skills Worker, supporting people from across Lothian, the Borders and Fife.

Positive Scotland is our joint project with Terrence Higgins Trust and is funded by The Big Lottery. Rik works with people living with HIV or Hep C to increase their skills and confidence to enable them to engage in activities, training or education, volunteering or work.

Q: What do you love about your job?

A: Simply put, the diversity of my role and the beauty and diversity of the service users I work with. I also feel I have relative freedom to develop my role. An example of this would be the recent Ageing Conference. I was aware that the sector needed to share information on the topic and a service user knew about funding available and suggested we apply. From this humble wellspring a relatively prestigious national conference on HIV and Ageing emerged. (see page 3) Q: Is there anything that frustrates you in your job?

A: The thing about blood borne viruses is that they don’t discriminate. It is people who discriminate. But

the fact of the matter is people infected and affected come from all walks of life and any one of us could have been infected. We have probably all taken some risks in our lives. Why, therefore, some people sit in judgement over others is beyond me.

Q: What are you currently reading?

A: ‘Huntingtower’ by John Buchan. Set in Dumfries and Galloway probably about 1920, it is the story of a retired grocer, Dickson McGunn, and a gang of kids from the Gorbals, The Gorbal Die-hards, rescuing a Russian princess from “boatfu’s o’ scoondrels”. A hilarious classic.

Q: What is your favourite food and drink?

A: My work colleagues would probably say soup as this is part of my daily work lunch. However, I love roasted vegetables – probably have these at least once a week.

I like spicy food, curries, chillies, etc. For drinking – you can’t beat a cup of tea, be that breakfast, earl grey, Assam or my new discovery, green tea. Also I’m slightly partial to drinks with alcohol, principally red wine or beer. Spirit wise – I enjoy a sophisticated tequila.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

A: I find it hard to plan a few months in advance let alone 10 years. However, I would like to be living somewhere with my partner, a dog and a garden.

July 2011 Positive Interest

5

Focus on...

Focus on Highlands, Argyll & Bute In November 2010, funded by NHS Highland, we launched our work in the Highlands, Argyll and Bute and opened an office in Inverness from which to co-ordinate our activities.

A large part of our work in the Highlands is around HIV awareness and prevention. We are delivering awareness training sessions to schools and young people’s groups, in prisons and to particularly ‘at risk’ community groups.

Other prevention work includes condom distribution, which took place on a massive scale recently at Rockness. 17,000 condoms were distributed over the 3 day music festival at the beginning of June.

The last few months have seen IanJohnstone appointed as our new outreach worker. His remit focuses on HIV awareness and prevention work with gay men in the Highlands.

The team in the Highlands, Argyll and Bute (John, Katrina, Tine, Caroline and Ian) also assists people in getting tested for HIV and supporting those already diagnosed.

Peer support is especially important as, compared to Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the number of people living with HIV is relatively low. This, coupled with the rural nature of the region, means that people’s ability to meet others living with HIV, and share emotions and experiences, is very limited.

Nine months into the work, we’re looking forward to further developing our support for those living with HIV and helping prevent others from contracting the virus.

Charles Charles had been living with HIV for 3 years when he contacted Waverley Care for support. Since starting treatment a year before, he had been experiencing severe side effects including diarrhoea and night sweats. The night sweats meant he was struggling with laundry and was generally feeling very low. His issues were compounded by having experienced abuse as a child.

Waverley Care’s support worker, Katrina, organised a small grant from the Crusaid Hardship Fund to buy extra sets of bedding. She also provided him with 6

Positive Interest July 2011

information on medication, provided dietary advice to help with his diarrhoea, and referred him to Thrive, a counselling service for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Since working with Katrina, Charles has felt empowered to discuss side effects with his consultant, as previously he didn’t realise that there were lots of treatment options. He is now on a new treatment regimen and due to this, and his counselling, is feeling healthier and more optimistic about life.

Patron Profile

Q: Why did you agree to become involved in Waverley Care?

A: It was partly because of the nature of the people who run the organisation – their humanity epitomises the essence of the charity. It was also because I had previously worked with people who had been affected

by HIV and AIDS both in the UK and overseas. I visited Uganda in 1983, and I was touched by the wonderful people there. It is so hard to think that so many of them will have been affected by this virus.

HIV is something that needs to be talked about and I want to encourage that.

P a t r o n P r o f i le

Q: How did you first become involved with Waverley Care?

A: Through John Rutter – he suggested that Waverley Care approach me to help them with their fundraising and I was delighted to accept.

Bob Chilcott Composer and Conductor, Bob became a patron of Waverley Care in 2010. He has supported the charity since leading a ‘Come & Sing’ workshop in 2004. He kindly answered a few of our questions.

Q: What has been your favourite Waverley Care event?

A: I’ve loved everything I’ve done.

The Carol Competition ‘Sing a New Song’ was fantastic though.

It was great to see so many people involved. The singing events are such

a great outreach idea to involve many people in Waverley Care who wouldn’t normally have got involved.

Q: What is your favourite food and drink?

A: I love wine and when you’re my age you can drink a bit more as it is good for you! I love all food but I particularly like fish.

Q: What are you currently reading?

A: ‘Berlin Noir’ by Philip Kerr. It is a terrific read if you love crime fiction.

Q: What would you like to do before you die?

A: See my 2 ½ year old daughter graduate and, because I’ve travelled my whole life, I’d like to spend a year at home without working.

Q: Who inspires you?

A: John Rutter has been very influential in my life and I’ve also been inspired by composer Gyorgy Ligeti. In terms of writers I’ve heard Ian McEwan speak and he is a very inspirational creative person.

World Hepatitis Day – 28th July 2011

Posters that will be seen across the UK this summer

In Scotland it is estimated that 1% of the population are living with Hepatitis C. With few early symptoms, it is important that campaigns such as World Hepatitis Day encourage testing as, if caught early enough, Hep C can be cured.

World Hepatitis Day is an annual event that raises international awareness of Hepatitis B and C. During July and August, across the UK, 1000 billboards will feature Hepatitis awareness posters.

In Scotland, the Hepatitis C Trust, in partnership with other agencies including Waverley Care, is co-ordinating World Hepatitis Day events.

In Edinburgh, activities will take place from 2–6pm in the Grassmarket and will include afternoon high tea, a laughter workshop and opportunities to hear people living with Hep C talking about their experiences. All of the Scottish events will culminate in the spectacular release of Chinese lanterns at 6pm.

July 2011 Positive Interest

7

Fundraising

Sponsored Events Roundup It’s been a season of sponsored events for Waverley Care supporters.

On 8th May – daredevils Dorothy (aka Win Hatton), Kathie Engelman and Kim Kemp took part in the Forth Rail Bridge Abseil, (picture below right).

Kim Kemp followed the abseil with the Stornoway Half Marathon on 28th May and the Orkney Hoy Half Marathon on 12th June. A triple triumph!

Our very own Children and Families Worker, Lynne Williamson (see front cover), succeeded in the mammoth task of cycling from London to Paris covering 310 miles over four days!

Finally, six staff members donned their running shoes and joined fourteen supporters to run in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 22nd May. Supporters Lucy, Emma,

8

Positive Interest July 2011

Russell and Oliver crossed the line having run the full 26.2 miles with the remaining sixteen runners making up four Hairy Haggis relay teams (see above and lower left).

Between them, so far, all our active supporters have raised over £9,000!

Read more on our blog – waverleycare.wordpress.com Well done & thank you to all

Fundraising

Rent Edinburgh Music Theatre raised a fabulous £4,000 from their April run of the musical ‘Rent’ at Edinburgh’s Church Hill Theatre, The cast donated all proceeds from the Wednesday night show and held bucketshakes after each performance to reach their brilliant total. Thank you to all involved, especially Kenneth Pinkerton, Neil Metcalfe and Michael and Cerin Richardson.

Challenge stigma in 140 characters and...

Win £100 of Amazon vouchers Join us in our social media fight against HIV stigma and discrimination.

We’re launching a campaign which will run during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to spread the word about the impact of HIV stigma and encourage people to challenge it.

Highlighting the campaign will be a competition to win £100 of Amazon vouchers. ‘Tell a joke in 140 characters’ will run on Twitter and Facebook from 1st–29th August.

Post your joke on Twitter with the hashtag #laff11 or on Waverley Care’s Facebook page.

Visit www.laffoffstigma.com to view competition entries during August and to read about how HIV stigma is ruining the lives of people in Scotland. Join us to #laffoffstigma!

Beautiful Thing We celebrated Valentine’s Day at Edinburgh Filmhouse this year with a benefit screening of Beautiful Thing.

The event raised over £500. Thanks to the Filmhouse and to New Town Bar for their sponsorship.

Find us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

www.laffoffstigma.com

Fringe 2011 We’re busy in the Waverley Care fundraising office getting ready for August and our many activities during Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Don’t forget to drop some loose change in the bucket at the Pleasance Courtyard or the Pleasance Dome again this year, and check out our Fundraising Diary on page 10 for the details of this year’s festival events.

Thank you to...

Bank of Scotland Foundation, The Bruce Trust, The Clothworker’s Foundation, Dr Guthrie’s Association, The MacLennan Charitable Trust, The Monument Trust and Peter Moores Foundation, for their kind donations.

Edinburgh University MedRAG Society for raising £719.72 from bucketshaking at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station.

Edinburgh Students’ Charities Appeal, Edinburgh University Students Association LGBT Action Group, Fresh Air Radio, George Heriot’s School, Jedburgh

Grammar School, Stewart’s Melville College and Telford College for their fabulous fundraising for our work.

Edinburgh Evening News, Gilead Sciences, Integr8 Construction Ltd, JambosKickback, Lloyds Banking Group, Merck Sharp & Dohme and North Edinburgh Drug Advice Centre for their kind fundraising and donations.

June Mackie for the fabulous tartan tablet!

July 2011 Positive Interest

9

Fundraising Diary

Supporting Our Work

Saturday 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th August 2011 from 4pm

Please consider making a donation towards our work.

Title

Forename(s)

New Town Bar Sunday FUNdraisers

Postcode

Hosted by Bob Downe & Scott Agnew Dublin Street, Edinburgh Free Entry Tel: 0131 538 7775 for more details

Email*

Phone

Friday 12th August 2011, 6.05pm

Surname Address

Africa Heart & Soul

I would like to:

give a single gift of £25

£50

£100

(please make cheques payable to ‘Waverley Care’ or to donate by credit / debit

card go to www.waverleycare.org and click ‘donate now’)

give a regular donation

To the manager of

(bank)

/

/

other £

Grassroots Theatre Company Waverley Care Benefit Performance Fringe Venue 152, Paradise in Augustine’s, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh Tickets £10 (£8 concession) Tel: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com

Address

Saturday 13th August 2011, 5.30pm

Postcode

John Rutter conducts a massed choir for his Requiem RS NGE SI

Bank Sort Code

Please pay Waverley Care, Royal Bank of Scotland, 61 Forrest Road,

Edinburgh EH1 1QP (Sort Code 83-19-09, Account No. 00286995) the sum of

£

With Gift Aid for every £1 you give Waverley Care can get an

extra 25p from HM Revenue & Customs at no cost to you ‡

I wish to treat all donations I make to Waverley Care as Gift Aid donations

Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£10.50 concession) Tel: 0131 556 6550

until I notify you otherwise.

Tuesday 16th August 2011, 7.30pm

Signature

monthly starting on

Account No.

/

/ 20

Date

until further notice.

/

/ 20

Your gift can provide: £25

can provide a Spiritual and Pastoral Care Session to offer spiritual

support for an individual, of any faith or no faith, affected by HIV or Hep C.

£50

can Train a Buddy Volunteer. Buddies provide one-to-one support and

friendship to people living with HIV or Hep C. Support is much needed as

being HIV/Hep C positive commonly brings with it feelings of isolation and

depression.

£100 can offer One-to-One Emotional Support for a Child affected by HIV

over a four week period. Liaising with parents, social workers and school

to ensure the best all-round support for the child.

Please return this form to:

Waverley Care, FREEPOST RSBX-RZUK-EBRZ, 1 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB * By providing your email address you agree to Waverley Care contacting you by email. Waverley Care will process your personal information for administration purposes, to further our charitable aims and to keep you updated with our work. We will not share your information with any other agencies or organisations. ‡ Waverley Care will claim Gift Aid tax relief of 25p on every £1 you give. You must pay an amount of UK Income Tax, and/or Capital Gains tax, at least equal to the tax that we will reclaim on your donations.

UT

DO St Cuthbert’s Church, SOL Lothian Road, Edinburgh Audience Tickets £10 (£8 concession) Tel: 0131 556 9710

Monday 15th August 2011, 8pm

Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit

NT Off the Kerb Comedy Gala 2011 EVE UT

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.

DO SOL

Saturday 20th August 2011, 8.30pm

Loud and Proud on the Fringe Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£9 concession) Tel: 0131 556 9710 Sunday 2nd October 2011

Edinburgh BUPA 10km Sign up and raise funds for Waverley Care.

Contact Jane Tel: 0131 556 9710

For more details go to: www.waverleycare.org Alternatively, call 0131 556 9710 or email fund@waverleycare.org

Christmas Card: Mail Order Form Please return completed form to: Waverley Care, FREEPOST RSBX-RZUK-EBRZ, 1 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB Your name and address:

Delivery Address [if different]:

Card Title 1 City of David 126mm x 126mm

Sale Price £3.50/pack 10 £3.50/pack 10

3 Eleven Pipers

£3.50/pack 10

121mm x 121mm

A

£3.50/pack 10

5 Modern Angel

£3.25/pack 10

120mm x 120mm

A

B

6 Santa at the Harbour

£3.50/pack 10

7 The One that Got Away

£3.25/pack 10

8 Winter Friends

£3.25/pack 10

126mm x 126mm 128mm x 128mm

117mm x 117mm

9 Santa Claus 180mm x 85mm

A A

A

£3.50/pack 10 A

10 Highland Cows 86mm x 195mm

Order online at: www.waverleycare.org

B

4 Hiding in the Snow 126mm x 126mm

Cost

B

2 Angels Adoring 127mm x 127mm

Qty

£3.50/pack 10

A

Cards Total

* Order Value £10.50 or under: £2.50

Order Value over £10.50:

£3.50

Post/Packaging*

A Season’s Greetings B With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year

Donation [optional] Total

Please make cheques payable to ‘Waverley Care’.

To pay by credit/debit card please order your cards online at www.waverleycare.org

Scottish Charity No. SC036500

Thank you for your order!

Christmas Cards

1 City of David 126mm x 126mm

B

2 Angel’s Adoring

3 Eleven Pipers

127mm x 127mm

121mm x 121mm

B

A

4 Hiding in the Snow

5 Modern Angel

6 Santa at the Harbour

126mm x 126mm

120mm x 120mm

126mm x 126mm

A

B

A

7 The One that Got Away...

8 Winter Friends

9 Santa Claus

128mm x 128mm

117mm x 117mm

180mm x 85mm A

A

A

Greetings: A - Season’s Greetings B - With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year 10 Highland Cows 86mm x 195mm

A