Supporting people living with HIV & Hepatitis C in Scotland July 2009
In this issue…
Welcome to the July 2009 edition of Positive Interest. Well, its been a busy time at Waverley Care over the last few months. We’ve moved premises, hosted events, opened new services in Lanarkshire and Glasgow and even found time to visit Downing Street. You’ll find more details about our activities here in Positive Interest and information about our work to achieve our vision. We believe that everyone affected by HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C in Scotland should receive the highest standards of care and support to lead independent and fulfilling lives. We’re getting ready for the Fringe in the fundraising office with lots of events and activities going on and, for the many of you who like to get organised early for Christmas, this year’s Christmas card designs are on the back page. We’d be delighted if you would support us by buying cards as it not only raises funds but also awareness. Thank you for your support and happy reading!
Waverley Care, 3 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB Telephone: 0131 556 9710 Email: fund@waverleycare.org Scottish Charity No. SC036500 Company Limited by Guarantee No. 253043
Patron Profile Director of the Pleasance Theatre Anthony Alderson
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“…lots of tears and laughter” ...Solas and the café closes as Mansfield Place opens its doors
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Volunteering
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Downing Street Reception
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New African Services
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Focus on: Milestone
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Meet Neil Bird p7 We introduce you to our Volunteer Co-ordinator and Gay Men’s Support Worker. Thank you to...
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Fundraising Roundup
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Fundraising Diary
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Christmas Cards for the Early Birds
www.waverleycare.org
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Profile of a Patron Director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust, Anthony Alderson, has been a Waverley Care patron since 2007. Anthony kindly sat down for a few minutes during the busy preparations for this summer’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe to answer some of our questions. Why did you become a patron of Waverley Care? It was because of the long partnership between Waverley Care and the Pleasance and wanting to be associated with such a great cause. What do you think motivates comedians to support Waverley Care? I think comedians see the need and want to support the work to wipe out the prejudice and discrimination associated with HIV. The Pleasance gives them the platform during the Fringe to directly show their support. What is your most memorable moment about working with Waverley Care? Our Downing Street reception and the story of a wet weekend at the Pleasance Courtyard with Tom Robinson singing ‘Sing if you’re Glad to be Gay’ to raise money for Waverley Care. What is your favourite food and drink? I was always told to eat what’s put on your plate and I love a large glass of wine. Name 3 things you want to do before you die. Learn to cook, learn to play the piano (because I have one and can’t play), and travel from the top of Canada to the bottom of South America. Who inspires you? I adore ideas so anyone with ideas, and that is often my family, best friends and the people around me. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? Absolutely no idea! I have no plan and don’t intend to create one. 2 Positive Interest
“…..lots of tears and laughter” That’s what Community Projects manager Martha Baillie thinks of when she remembers Waverley Care Solas and the Café. The Solas Centre closed in March as our Community Projects and Head Office functions all moved in together into new premises in Mansfield Place.
managers over the years and also the hundreds of volunteers who have given their time to work in the café. Particularly we’d like to thank Lyndon Antle, Edward Bell, Dennis Chisholm, Sandra Martin, Stanley Reilly and Lil Symon who all volunteered in the café for over 10 years.
It was with sadness but a positive sense of moving forward that the café closed in December 2008 and Dave Morley, Café Manager retired. The service ran for 18 years and was a lifeline for many service users over the years and often their first point of contact with Waverley Care and our support services. Some were coming to terms with an HIV positive diagnosis, whilst others were struggling to cook meals and were feeling isolated, all relying on the café for social interaction.
The Solas Centre, where the café was located, opened in 1990 and also holds many memories both sad and happy. Martha Baillie remembers a number of the events that have taken place over the years. “There were early funeral workshops in the days when an HIV diagnosis meant certain death but they were contrasted by weddings and civil partnership receptions and christening celebrations. I’ll always think of it as a place that was full of the magic of children.”
Usage of the café had dropped off in recent years, however, as the uptake of other services had increased and support was received in different ways. It is always sad to see the end of something that has played such an important part in people’s lives over such a long time. However, we recognised that it was time to move forward and focus our attention and funds in a new direction.
It is with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that we’ve moved into Mansfield Place. The new premises include a large activities room, rooms for meetings, counselling and complementary therapies and staff offices. We look forward to continuing to provide high standards of advice, care and support to people living with HIV and Hepatitis C in Scotland from our new home.
Waverley Care would like to acknowledge the wonderful work of Dave Morley and the other café
Tuesday 18th Aug @ 8pm Previous years’ acts have included: Stephen K Amos, Phil Nichol, Jason Byrne, 4 Poofs and a Piano, Rhod Gilbert and many more... Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£10.50)
Supporting
£5 Entry
Tel: 0131 556 6550
event in support of
Scottish Charity Number: SC036500
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Volunteering “You gotta shake a bucket or two ... “ Collecting money for charity probably conjours up images of standing on a corner with a collecting can (in the pouring rain) waiting for people to pop a couple of pennies into your tin.
can volunteer for as little as one two hour shift and, for the first time this year, we will be collecting during the daytime, as well as in the evenings. And if star-spotting is your thing, The Pleasance is definitely the place to be, as comedians and thespians mingle with Fringe-goers in the courtyard.
With Waverley Care, it’s a different story. Our bucket collections take place throughout the year in theatre/concert venues and, on those balmy summer Edinburgh evenings(!), in the vibrant Fringe setting of the Pleasance Courtyard.
If you can help, now or in the future, please contact Jane in the Fundraising Team on 0131 556 9710 or email admin@waverleycare.org.
Our distinctively branded collecting buckets have a vitally important role to play in keeping our services running. This year alone we will endeavour to raise £23,500 through our various collections; enough to run our entire Children and Families project for over 3 months.
Don’t miss our other festival events taking place this year. See the Fundraising Diary on page 9.
Please think about joining our enthusiastic and friendly team of bucket shakers at this year’s Fringe. It’s a great way to meet new friends. You
The Scottish HIV Action Plan The coming months should see a higher profile for HIV with the publication of the Scottish Government’s HIV Action Plan.
• The development of Managed Care Networks to ensure the effective coordination and provision of HIV prevention, care and treatment.
The plan will outline how the government intends to promote an increased focus on HIV prevention and how to ensure that high quality care and treatment can be delivered across the whole country.
The Action Plan will also ask all of those involved in planning HIV services to be prepared for the increasing numbers of people who are likely to need treatment, care and support over the next ten years. The major challenge will be delivering this against a backdrop of shrinking resources as the “credit crunch” hits charities and government organisations alike.
At Waverley Care we have welcomed this initiative which is likely to include: • A greater emphasis on prevention work that has proved effective. • A greater concentration on those communities deemed to be at higher risk. • A central role for voluntary sector agencies working with those communities. 4 Positive Interest
Waverley Care is, however, well placed to respond to many aspects of the proposed plan. We will be using our experience with Scotland’s African communities, for example, to work with colleagues on producing guidelines specific to the prevention of HIV as well as activities that lead to service improvements. We look forward to the challenge.
Downing Street Reception We were delighted that by kind agreement of the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, and his wife, Maggie, we were able to hold a reception at No.11 Downing Street. This event celebrated three significant anniversaries – Waverley Care’s 20th birthday, Pleasance Theatre Trust’s 25th birthday and the 18th anniversary of our working together during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to raise awareness, as well as over £100,000, for our work in Scotland with adults and children living with HIV. Both the Chancellor and his wife have been supportive of our work for many years, with Alistair being an original patron of our Solas project. The reception was a wonderful opportunity for us to host many of our London based donors and we were pleased to be joined by our patrons Shirley Manson, Sheena McDonald, Copstick, Anthony Alderson and Christopher Richardson (Anthony and Christopher being current and previous directors of the Pleasance.) A big thank you to Alistair and Maggie Darling for opening their home to us, to Harvey Nichols for donating the wine for the event and to Stanley Reilly for taking the photos. Alistair Darling, Maggie Darling, David Johnson (Director of Waverley Care); Joseph Bonnar, Shirley Manson, Nicola Lee; Anthony Alderson (Director of Pleasance Theatre Trust); Sheena McDonald & Tom Wood (Chairperson of Waverley Care).
New African Services We have recently welcomed two members of staff to new posts within our African Health Project. This project exists to support Africans affected by HIV and AIDS who frequently have a range of needs, as well as cultural differences, which make their situation unique within Scotland. Nathan Mwesigwa has taken up the post of Support Worker, funded by NHS Lanarkshire and based in Motherwell. Nathan’s work is to promote HIV awareness amongst Africans in Lanarkshire and support those already living with HIV.
Mariegold Akomode is our new African Buddy Service Co-ordinator and will run a one year pilot befriending service funded by Voluntary Action Fund Scotland. Based in our Glasgow office, Mariegold’s work will cover both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde areas, as well as NHS Lanarkshire. Her work will encourage and facilitate one-to-one friendship and support for people living with HIV from amongst the African community. Nathan and Mariegold join Kapulu and Tarsisio who provide our existing African support services in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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Focus on: Milestone In 1991 Waverley Care Milestone opened as the UK’s first purpose built AIDS Hospice. Like our other services, Milestone has adapted to the changing face of HIV and now offers periods of intensive residential support.
For many people living with HIV, a regular appointment to see their consultant offers enough support to keep their symptoms under control. Many others, however, for various reasons, have difficulty complying with their treatment regimes and, as a result, their physical and mental health can be compromised and more intensive support is needed to continue to manage the impact of HIV. Respite admissions to Milestone provide a real benefit to those who struggle by providing a safe, supportive environment in which people can come and stay for a period, to get away from everyday stress and worry. We try to provide a relaxed, homely environment with home cooked meals and opportunities to socialise or relax. There are many benefits of respite admissions, a number of which help to keep people out of hospital. Support is given around starting or changing HIV combination therapy medications and managing the initial side effects. Milestone is also a place free of the stigma, discrimination and harassment that people living with HIV often experience in everyday life. Feelings of social isolation can also be reduced by spending time with others in a similar situation and participation in activities and events can improve people’s self esteem and wellbeing.
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Tracy’s Story Tracy is a 58 year old woman who contracted HIV about 8 years ago. She was diagnosed following an acute illness and, on discharge from hospital, she was very weak and had lost approximately 5 stone in weight. Unfortunately Tracy felt unable to tell her family that she had the virus because she was ashamed of what they would think of her. She told them she had cancer and lived her life in fear of being ‘found out’. Tracy arrived for her first stay at Milestone very tearful and, during her admission, admitted that she found it difficult to be open with people because she had learnt to be secretive. That first evening Tracy joined in conversations with several other service users about HIV and how they contracted the virus and she was soon able to talk about her situation and how isolated she felt at home. Tracy joined in workshops and other events and slowly she began to eat and gain weight. The healthier she became, the more confident and outgoing she felt. Tracy has now told her family about her HIV diagnosis with support from staff in the respite unit. She always talks of her first admission to new service users when they come into the unit and tells them how much she benefits from the care and acceptance offered by Waverley Care.
Introducing... Neil
Neil Bird is Waverley Care’s Volunteer Co-ordinator and Gay Men’s Support Worker.
His work involves supporting and organising the 120 or so volunteers that are essential for Waverley Care to provide our support services. Neil also runs our support services for gay men living with HIV. The service has made a huge difference to many men, helping them back to work or further education, improving personal relationships with partners, friends and family and improving their knowledge of HIV and its treatment. Why did you choose to work for Waverley Care? I started to volunteer for Waverley Care in 2005 as a buddy, something I had wanted to do for many years. I enjoyed my volunteering and the feeling of making a real difference so much that I decided to
apply to work here and started as Volunteer Coordinator in 2006. Is there anything that frustrates you about your job? Funding — the lack of it holds back support work that there is such a huge demand for. What did you do before you worked at Waverley Care? I worked in hotels for 20 years culminating in owning a hotel in Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway. When not working, what do you spend your time doing? Going to the gym, visiting friends, and getting away to the country. What is your favourite food and drink? Italian food and a Gin and Tonic. Who inspires you? Kylie. She is strong, determined and never gives up. Oh, and she makes great music!
Thank you to... Dr Guthrie’s Association, Edinburgh Children’s Holiday Fund, The Gannochy Trust, The Henry Smith Charity, The Hope Trust, The Inchcape Foundation, JK Young Endowment Fund, The Margaret Murdoch Charitable Trust, The Moffat Charitable Trust, The Northmoor Trust and Peter Moores Foundation for their much-valued donations towards our ongoing work in our Community Projects, Waverley Care Milestone and in our Children and Families Project. Abbott Laboratories Ltd and Gilead Sciences Limited for their Educational Grants to support our work. EU BLOGS, George Watson’s College, Jedburgh Grammar School, Loretto Music Department, Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools, Palmerston Place Church (Edinburgh), Church of the Sacred
Heart (Edinburgh), St Andrews-Erskine Church (Dunfermline), CC Blooms and NHS Lothian Health Promotion for their World AIDS Day Fundraising HBOS for raising £223 through a dress down day and for the merry band of volunteers who built a patio for service users to enjoy at our allotment. Our Edinburgh Marathon runners Heidi Haxeltine, Gillian Helweg-Larsen and Dan Moss, and Hairy Haggis Relay Teams Motley Crew and Waverley Wonders who between them all faced the scorching heat at the end of May to raise over £6000. Forth Valley College for raising £192 through their fundraising raffle.
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East to West ... Singing’s Best What a start to 2009! Our first two ‘come and sing’ events featured two of the UK’s most sought-after conductors. In February, Bob Chilcott invited our ‘come and singers’ to dip a toe into the world of jazz music with his “Little Jazz Mass” and some brand new arrangements of folk songs, including “The House of the Rising Sun”, which he had dedicated to Waverley Care. The wonderful David Patrick Trio accompanied the choral pieces, and Edinburgh Concert Band’s Jazz Ensemble provided some foot-tapping numbers to complete the programme. In March, we were delighted to welcome John Rutter to Glasgow for an inspirational singing workshop day. With music by a wide variety of composers from Haydn to Rutter himself, over 350 people spent a joyful day stretching their sight-reading skills and enjoying John’s wonderful anecdotes about his life as a musician. A huge thank you to Bob and John and to all the singers who helped make these joyful events so successful. Together, they made a profit of over £6,000, which is fantastic news. We are very grateful for all your support.
Fringe Benefits Check out our Fundraising Diary for all of this year’s festival events. We’ve the ‘Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit’ at the Pleasance and the ‘Off the Kerb Comedy Gala’ at the Festival Theatre. For music lovers you can choose from our come and sing event ‘The Armed Man’ conducted by Christopher Bell or ‘Loud and Proud on the Fringe’ who are returning for their third year. We end the festivities in style with our Festival Fireworks Dinner for those of you don’t want to watch the fireworks in the rain! Come and join us on Sunday 6th September at the Apex City Hotel in the Grassmarket for a delicious three course dinner, with wine on arrival and a glass of bubbly when the fireworks start. 8 Positive Interest
(Above) The singers in full flow. (Right) Bob Chilcott.
Swimming, Singing and Shooting the Pianist Waverley Care’s fundraising is nothing, if not varied! Our “Sunday Splash” saw a small number of enthusiastic youngsters plough up and down Drumbrae Leisure Centre’s pool to raise nearly £600 for our work. Well done and thank you to all of them and to Heart of Midlothian Swimming Club for giving us their pool time! Thank you, too, to The James Farrer Singers, whose programme of “Golden Oldies” packed out St Peter’s Church Hall. A wonderful concert of music from these talented ladies, conducted by James Farrer, raised over £1,000. Music was also the theme of a unique event, “Shooting the Pianist or, How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love C# Major” which saw our Patron, Sheena McDonald interviewing Colin Sell, pianist on “I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue”. Colin regaled us with hilarious anecdotes about his 30 years of playing for Radio 4’s popular quiz show and helped us raise £1,350. Thank you to Colin, Sheena, Erskine Stewart’s Melville Community Arts Fund and Edinburgh Festival Theatre.
Fundraising Diary Wednesday 12th August 2009, 7.30pm
Shakespeare’s Squeaking Cleopatras at the Fringe – The Luvvies Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£10 conc) from 07932 514595 Tuesday 18th August 2009, 8pm
Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£10.50 conc) from 0131 556 6550 Sunday 23rd August 2009, 6pm
‘Come & Sing’ The Armed Man Conducted by Christopher Bell The Performing Arts Centre at Stewart’s Melville College, Queensferry Rd, Edinburgh (Rehearsal 2pm) Audience Tickets £10 (£8 conc) from 0131 556 9710
Bohemians Centenary Success For many years we have been loyally supported by The Bohemians Lyric Opera Company who this year celebrated their centenary by performing Oklahoma at the Kings Theatre in Edinburgh in March. Thank you so much to everyone that took part in the associated fundraising. The after show collections raised £1357.87 and the joint spring prize draw raised £2773.88. Thank you also to The Bohemians for their donation of £205 from their centenary ball. Yeee-haa!!!
Monday 24th August 2009, 7.30pm
Off the Kerb Comedy Gala 2009 Hosted by Michael McIntyre Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. Tickets £25 (£24 conc) from 0131 529 6000 Saturday 29th August 2009, 8.30pm
Loud and Proud on the Fringe Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Tickets £12 (£9 conc) from 0131 556 9710 Sunday 6th September 2009, 6.30pm
Festival Fireworks Dinner Apex City Hotel, Grassmarket, Edinburgh Tickets £45 from 0131 556 9710 Sunday 11th October 2009
Forth Rail Bridge Sponsored Abseil South Queensferry, Edinburgh Places available now Tel: 0131 556 9710 to register For more details go to www.waverleycare.org or call 0131 556 9710 or email fund@waverleycare.org
They
are
August 23rd 2009
Back!
The Performing Arts Centre at Stewart’s Melville College, Queensferry Road, Edinburgh
New Town Bar Sunday FUNdraisers 9 t h , 1 6 t h , 2 3 r d a n d 3 0 t h A u g u st from 5pm till 8pm
Rehearsal 2pm Concert 6pm Singers £12.50/£9.50 Audience £10/£8
c o m e d o w n a n d e n j o y s o m e a m a z i n g a c ts
Host - Scott Agnew Performers include Susan Calman, Kate Copstick and Stephen K Amos. All raising money for Waverley Care
New Town Bar 26b Dublin Street Edinburgh 0131 538 7775
www.newtownbar.co.uk
For details contact: 0131 556 9710
admin@waverleycare.org
www.waverleycare.org www.festivalofspirituality.org.uk
Scottish Charity Number: SC036500
Positive Interest 9
Supporting Our Work
event in support of
Festival Fireworks Dinner:
Please consider making a donation towards our work. Title
Wine, 3 Course Dinner and a Glass of Fizz to watch the Fireworks go with a Bang!
Forename(s)
Surname Address
Postcode
Phone
I would like to:
give a single gift of £25
£50
£100
other £
(please make cheques payable to ‘Waverley Care’ or complete the credit card details below - a £1 fee to cover costs will be added to credit card payments)
Credit Card No.
Expiry Date
give a regular donation
To the manager of
/
(bank)
SUNDAY 6th SEPTEMBER 2009 7.30pm
Address
Apex City Hotel, Grassmarket, Edinburgh
Postcode
TICKETS: £45
Bank Sort Code / / Account No.
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 28p from HM Revenue & Customs at no cost to you*
I wish to treat all donations I make to Waverley Care as Gift Aid donations until I notify you otherwise.
Signature
monthly starting on
/
/ 20
Date
For tickets call: 0131 556 9710 or email: fund@waverleycare.org
until further notice.
/
/ 20
Your gift can provide: £25 can provide a Spiritual and Pastoral Care Session to offer spiritual
Inspiration, holistic treats ...
support for an individual affected by HIV of any faith or no faith.
... sign up to the Happiletter!
£50 can Train a Buddy Volunteer. Buddies provide one-to-one support and
www.wanttobehappy.co.uk
friendship to people living with HIV. Support is much needed as being HIV 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.
forth rail bridge
ultimate abseil
Please return this form to:
Waverley Care, FREEPOST RSBX-RZUK-EBRZ, 3 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB 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. For Gift Aid donations made from 6 April 2008 until 5 April 2011, the Inland Revenue will also be operating transitional provisions, paying a Government supplement of 3p per £1. This means, in total, Waverley Care will receive an additional 28p 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.
sun 11th october
Go on! challenge yourself and raise money for: Contact Jane: 0131 556 9710 fund@waverleycare.org
Christmas Card: Mail Order Form Please return completed form to: Waverley Care, FREEPOST RSBX-RZUK-EBRZ, 3 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6NB Your name and address:
Card Title
Delivery Address [if different]:
Sale Price
1 Festive Forest
£3.25/pack 10
2 Trees
£3.25/pack 10
3 Holly
£3.25/pack 10
4 Modern Father Christmas
£3.25/pack 10
5 Festive Brussel
£3.25/pack 10
127mm x 127mm 117mm x 117mm 117mm x 117mm 174mm x 87mm
Qty
Cost
126mm x 126mm
6 Gardener’s Friend
£3.25/pack 10
7 Leading Star
£3.25/pack 10
8 Modern Angel
£3.25/pack 10
9 Angels
£3.50/pack 10
10 Angels Adoring
£3.50/pack 10
11 Angel’s Chorus
£3.75/pack 10
155mm x 108mm 150mm x 150mm 120mm x 120mm 108mm x 108mm 127mm x 127mm
140mm x 140mm
12 Madonna of the Firtree
£3.75/pack 10
178mm x 127mm
Cards Total
* Order Value under £10:
£2.25 Order Value £10 or over: £3.35
Post/Packaging* Donation [optional] Total
(please make cheques payable to ‘Waverley Care’ or complete the credit card details below - a £1 fee to cover costs will be added to credit card payments)
Credit Card No.
Expiry Date
Signature
Scottish Charity No. SC036500
/
Thank you for your order!
Please tick this box and return this form to Freepost address indicated, if you wish your name REMOVED from the Waverley Care mailing list. We will acknowledge your request for removal in writing (07/09)
12 Days of Christmas (Cards)
1 Festive Forest
2 Trees
3 Holly
127mm x 127mm
117mm x 117mm
117mm x 117mm
4 Modern Father Christmas 174mm x 87mm
6 Gardener’s Friend 155mm x 108mm
5 Festive Brussel 126mm x 126mm
7 Leading Star 150mm x 150mm
9 Angels 108mm x 108mm
8 Modern Angel
10 Angels Adoring
120mm x 120mm
127mm x 127mm
Greetings: A - Season’s Greetings Card Designs 1-6
B - With Best Wishes for Christmas & the New Year Card Designs 7-12
11 Angel’s Chorus 140mm x 140mm
12 Madonna of the Firtree 178mm x 127mm