Positive Lives has again received lots of mail over the last couple of months. Here are a few of your letters (which may have been edited for space reasons)...

As a newcomer to your Website - and intrigued by your October Newsletter - I decided then to retrieve all of your past editions, not only to gain more insight into HIV, but also to catch up on the news and views of the many talented people who seem to contribute to the site/newsletter on a regular basis. I am an "eternal student" who for the past 2 years has been studying Feng Shui. I am speaking about a science which has been around for more than 3000 years. It is based on the principles of Yin and Yang....the forever changing....night into day....dark into light It is understood by Feng Shui principles, that we are governed in our lives by the elements - fire, earth, water, earth, metal, wood. Each element is linked to a specific colour. I am curious to know why you changed your website colours? The recent change to gold/yellow may have been intuitive? Under Feng Shui logic, the colour scheme, including the Staffordshire Buddies logo, signifies the stability of earth - generating metal (white font) - which equals MONEY! The colours, being from Mother Nature herself, provide a warm and approachable "site" for any newcomer. These are positive colours. I wonder if Positive Lives since changing it's colour scheme, has received any wonderful donations or help recently - perhaps something you never expected"? "I wonder if the Organisation has clearer ideas and feels more focused on future plans, now that their feet are planted on terra firma"? (The latter being linked to gold/yellow of the earth). I shall be interested to read your newsletters in the future - not only to keep up to date with everything that's going on within your organisation - but to see if this ancient Chinese science, through your recent changes, has made or will make a difference to your now positive "Positive Lives" !! Julia Preston (would anyone interested in Feng Shui like to comment—Ed)

The following formed part of a hand written letter from someone seeking to become a Staffordshire Buddies Volunteer.

“I have just finished reading the latest edition of ‘Positive Lives’ and I didn’t realise how many people were affected with HIV every year. I was given this literature today in the Potteries Shopping Centre and your representatives left me with a good impression and wanting to know more about your organisation. I am fortunate enough to not have any friends of family who are infected by HIV, but I would like the chance to become a volunteer for Staffordshire Buddies. I am 18 yrs old and have work commitments but I would like to help spread HIV and AIDS awareness.”

Dear News Team!

Following Andrew Colclough's article in the last issue, readers of 'Positive Lives' might like to know that there is also a local coalition group promoting the Jubilee campaign: for further information about the North Staffs Jubilee 2000 Coalition, please contact one of the following:

Joe Andrew (01782) 583291
Email: j.m.andrew@lang.keele.ac.uk

Adri Hartveld (01782) 839156
email: hartveld@fenetre.co.uk

Irene McLelland (01270) 883577

Bob Welch (01782) 824976

The next meeting of the group is at 7.30pm,Tuesday 7 March 2000 at the Burslem Bible Centre, 60 Hamil Road, Burslem Do let me know if you need any further information. All good wishes Joe Andrew