BHA For Equality Newsletter – Dec 2024

Key Facts

Menopause Guide Launch

• New guide created in collaboration with minoritised ethnic women
• Provides essential information about menopause to minoritised communities
• Includes information on symptoms, treatments, relationships, sex life, and workplace considerations
• Features interactive elements like journaling to personalize the experience
• Launch event included workshops, yoga classes, healthy food, herbal teas, and panel discussions
• Event featured stalls on diet, symptoms, vitamins, supplements, and talking therapies

Sexual Health Initiatives

• Presented PrEP fast track referral at Fast Track Cities conference in Paris
• Innovative approach to reducing disparities in PrEP access for Black communities in Greater Manchester
• Sexation project presented, focusing on dismantling stigma around sexual health
• Sexation connects sexual health with identity, culture, and creativity
• Sewing workshop collaboration with LV from LRN discussed topics like porn, consent, and sex education
• Now offering home full-screen STI tests for multiple conditions
• New STI leaflet available in multiple languages (English, French, Kurdish (Sorani), Arabic, Farsi, Tigrinya)
• Free and discreet condom and lube delivery service available

Community Events and Observances

• Participated in Black History Month events including Cultural Heritage Celebration in Wigan
• Provided free HIV tests, STI tests, condoms, and sexual health advice at community events
• Held internal Black History Month lunch bringing together staff from across the organization
• Participated in World AIDS Day with PaSH partnership organizing a vigil in Sackville Gardens
• Greater Manchester Testing Week focused on increasing access to HIV and STI testing
• Hosted community events and offered home testing options during Testing Week

New Services and Team Members

• Smoking Cessation project launched to help connect people with local stop smoking services
• Richard Scarborough joined as HIVe Programme Lead
• Arbah Azhar joined as Community Engagement & Development Worker
• Akil Robinson transitioned to the sexual health team after working on heart health for the Caribbean population

Organizational Vision

• Working toward ending all new cases of HIV in a generation
• Focused on reducing HIV stigma and discrimination
• Committed to empowering individuals to make informed health decisions
• Emphasis on community-led approaches to health education and services
• Goal to end new cases of HIV by 2030