BHA Sexual Health Team Newsletter – June 2024

Team Updates

• Welcomed Jide Macaulay to the team
• Jide expressed enthusiasm about sharing experiences and knowledge while expanding skills in sexual health and community services

New Services

• Launched a Click and Collect STI test service in collaboration with Bolton Health Hive
• Offering free condoms ordering service
• Providing free online resources
• Free HIV testing services (in-person and home testing options)

Recent Events

• Hosted “Mind, Body and Soul” event at the Contact Theatre in March
• Event featured:
  • Spoken word and poetry
  • Health fair with sexual health information and testing
  • Yoga workshops
  • Hand massages
  • Various other wellness activities

Community Engagement Projects

• Community outreach in Trafford and Stockport with British Red Cross, Trafford Leisure Centre, and Pink Gallery
• Presentation at Limelight Hub’s International Women’s Day event
• PrEP Project raising awareness through online campaigns and poster creation
• ESOL group sessions on women’s health, Relationship and Sex Education (RSE), and healthcare communication
• Special session for parents about the RSE curriculum and having healthy conversations with children
• Sexation Project workshops, including one in a barber shop focusing on STI testing and sexual health decisions
• Workplace HIV education using their “HIV in the Workplace” guidance booklet
• Presentation at HIV Prevention England’s conference on HIV Stigma (March 2024)

Service Impact

• Successful delivery of DBS tests and full-screen STI tests across Greater Manchester
• Secured new venues in Wigan & Bolton
• Extended one-to-one sessions showing positive community impact
• Positive feedback from community members, including requests for more regular sexual health conversations

Links

• Website: https://thebha.org.uk/
• Email contact: pash@thebha.org.uk