End HIV Stigma and Get to Zero – community stakeholders event on Tuesday, 17 March

A community stakeholders morning and lunch is happening on Tuesday, 17 March, inviting Brighton & Hove charities, community groups and businesses to come together to hear about and join in the city’s goals of zero HIV stigma, zero new HIV infections, and zero HIV related deaths.

Brighton & Hove is the UK’s first Fast Track City, part of the global fast track city initiative to achieve these goals. Much has been achieved in Brighton & Hove, but there is still a way to go and it will take a whole community to make this happen.

As part of the city’s Fast Track City Taskforce, HIV charities the Martin Fisher Foundation and Lunch Positive are providing this stakeholders morning, bringing together the community & voluntary sector, businesses, NHS and city council to hear about the work and progress so far, open up discussion and share ideas on how we can achieve these goals.

Gillian Dean, Trustee of the Martin Fisher Foundation, said: "The Martin Fisher Foundation continues to work together with other organisations across the city to achieve ZERO new HIV infections, ZERO HIV-related deaths, and ZERO HIV stigma in Brighton & Hove by 2030.

"By creating innovative ways of HIV testing through introducing vending machines, improving access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) using digital technology, tackling stigma with original animations and celebrating the annual International Zero HIV Stigma Day in style we are moving with our communities towards our goals.

"Stigma remains our greatest challenge and we hope the Community Stakeholder morning "Ending HIV Stigma and Getting to Zero" at Lunch Positive will enable us to update colleagues, share good practice and make meaningful plans. Through our small grants process MFF hopes to be able to accelerate the journey towards zero in our amazing city."

Gary Pargeter, Director of Lunch Positive, added: "We are very much looking forward to holding this community event, so important in the mission of ending HIV stigma and accelerating Towards Zero goals. Our charity is one that is founded, led and delivered by people living with HIV; supporting hundreds of our peers every year; experiencing, knowing and understanding at first hand the challenges and inequalities that remain for people living with HIV.

"Bringing community together around these issues and supporting a collaborative city-wide approach to end HIV stigma and achieve Towards Zero goals is an absolute priority for us."