This year, as in previous years, when I heard what the theme of World Aids Day was, I went “YUK” (or words to that effect). I was worried that, by concentrating on children, we might be echoing the eighties division of those living with the virus into innocent and guilty.

On further reflection, I decided this need not be the case. After all we were all children once and to many of our parents, we still are. So we interpreted the theme to reflect the relationship that we have and the idea that World Aids Day should be about coming together, not pulling apart.

This year’s WAD marks a time when many (though not all) people with HIV are benefiting from new treatments. I felt it was important to celebrate this and at the same time make sure we never forget to remember those who were not so fortunate. That’s why the strapline for this year’s poster is:

“Embracing life, love and those we have lost.”

So this year-get involved! Riot with Bob, Rave with Neil, Sing in Solidarity with Maurice, Embrace each other and ourselves with Father Brian.

Finally, on a personal note, I’m no longer World AIDS Day Secretary. I want to thank everybody at Staffordshire Buddies, Members of BP, Volunteers, Maz Michael, Andrew and Sarah for the patience and support shown to me over the three previous World AIDS Days. I really appreciate your help. North Staffordshire now has a new World AIDS day Secretary – Mark Reedman. He’s got all the qualities I don’t have – patience, inspiration, and drive – and already World AIDS Day 1997 looks like it’s going to be the best ever.

Lots of love and hugs,



Niall

Ex.World AIDS Day Secretary.

Looking back at "Positively Speaking" as last year's edition of the newsletter was then called, I was astounded by its prophetic voice. Some of the dreams expressed therein have since turned into reality. The article about the possibility of setting up a WEB site on the internet is an obvious example. At the time it was just a great thought; now we not only have a computer, internet access and a web site, but enough software to produce a newsletter with graphics and photos. (In full colour, if funds permitted.) The equipment is well used. Through this usage we have placed ourselves in the advantageous position of instant access to information about HIV & AIDS. The latest results of the latest research are available at our fingertips. Through News Groups it is also possible to share experiences of coping not only with new treatments but of day to day living with the virus including emotional support in our relationships with others.

There can be no doubt that "living with HIV & AIDS" has taken on a new meaning. People with the virus now expect to live longer and fuller lives. That is, providing they comply with strict drug regimes, and on the assumption that the medication works. (For some, the new drugs do not work or cannot be tolerated.)

Compliance brings additional stress and the importance of stress management becomes a matter of increasing concern. Requests for a wider range of complementary therapies are being made and the need for weekly rather than fortnightly treatment has been expressed. It is important that support organisations recognise and respond to these changes.Staffordshire Buddies has taken the momentous step forward in welcoming elected service user representatives as members of the executive. A direct link has been established and I believe that the benefits have already become apparent. Not least of these has been the increased speed with which issues raised by service users have been addressed.

After World AIDS Day and the events preceding it, the team and I look forward to communicating with you in 1998.

Keep well!

Maurice

BODY POSITIVE IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION

Changes are clearly taking place but change invariably brings with it doubts, anxieties and fears. Doubts are being expressed that "Body Positive Staffordshire" doesn’t exist. People are anxious about being excluded from a group which has changed so much it seems "foreign". Fears have been voiced that automatic "membership" of a Body Positive organisation is a form of coercion. Such reactions to change, although not unexpected, need to be given serious consideration. Reassurances might help but essentially it is the way that individuals respond themselves which will ensure a beneficial growth from past endeavours. It would be quite wrong to dismiss the efforts and forget the lives which have been spent in achieving the present situation. In seeking change we must never forget our history.

I, for one, believe the legacy and spirit of the old BP Group lives on. One has only to seek out the roots of the driving forces behind all recent achievements, and I believe, in each instance, you will find a person living with HIV or AIDS. I would suggest that this demonstrates that the old BP spirit of self-help is very much alive.

One big difference has taken place of which I think we should take note, and that is, the closer co-operation, which has developed amongst all parties. Those living with the virus together with professionals and volunteers of all sorts are working together in order to accomplish recognised goals. People uniting in a common concern just have to be seen as creating something good and wonderful.

Staffordshire Buddies has expanded its boundaries since I first came into contact with the organisation. The importance of prevention of the spread of HIV has assumed increased significance and the expertise built up over the years by Staffordshire Buddies has been called upon by other health authorities e.g. Shropshire. Services have also been stretched southwards to include Lichfield.

Professional workers and volunteers have acquired this skill and experience from supporting and working alongside people living with HIV & AIDS. This is the essential truth that must never be overlooked. At the hub of all the support, counselling, caring services are the people living with the virus.

Over the coming months we will be seeking to redefine Body Positive and its mission to ensure that the voice of local people living with HIV continues to be heard.



Maurice

For me this time of year is full of anniversaries. Six years since I started to work with Body Positive North Midlands in Stoke, four years since we launched Staffordshire Buddies and two years since we signed for the purchase of the building that is now our drop in centre. During this time I have seen many changes, changes in services, changes in the issues for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, changes in the people around me and changes in myself.

When I first started to work with Body Positive in 1991 we had a vision of a centre where people could meet and of services that were run by and for people living with HIV or AIDS. We quickly realised that the small number of people who constituted Body Positive at that time could not achieve this alone. We set up Staffordshire Buddies to provide the extra help and support that people needed and to take that help and support out into the community across Staffordshire. As services grew the original vision of a drop in centre became realistic and we were able to raise the funds to buy a building.

Making that building our home has taken a while but home is now exactly what it is. I have been heartened to watch the place come alive in the last twelve months. People living with HIV produce our newsletter on the premises, people drop in to use the internet to get information they need, the number of complementary therapies sessions has more than doubled and the Tuesday drop in is buzzing with people who though very different in background are able to support each other through the common experience of being affected by HIV or AIDS.

The extent to which service users and clients participate in and contribute to activities has increased dramatically. Service users are now directly represented on Staffordshire Buddies committee of trustees, they are involved in delivering training, in editing the newsletter, and in many of the decisions that affect the services received. There is still much work to do to strengthen this involvement of service users and clients but the improvements already made are a leap in the right direction. In a sense we have moved towards the original vision of Body Positive North Midlands - a centre with services for people living with or affected by HIV or AIDS directed by the people that use it.

 This has been made possible not only by the larger number of people who use our services but also by the improved health many enjoy as a result of the new combination therapies. Plus, of course, the facilities of the centre and the fact that they are ours to do with as we wish has opened many doors of opportunity.

There are challenges ahead, people who are regaining their health may want to go back to work, services set up for people with serious illness may no longer be needed as much as services that concentrate on the quality of life for people who are relatively well and trying to stay that way. There will, of course, be people for whom the drugs will not work and they face not only the trauma of deteriorating health but the emotional impact of becoming unwell while other friends around them are becoming more healthy.

So what of the theme for this years World AIDS Day? For me, "Children Living in a World with AIDS has two meanings.

 The first, very straightforward meaning is that our drop in centre has a cupboard full of children's toys. In recent months, for the first time, the centre has been used by families bringing their children - a reminder that this epidemic affects our whole community and not just a part of it. I have been very moved to witness the love and care shared by people at the drop in and to see everyone working together to make the children welcome and keep them occupied.

The second meaning I read into the World AIDS Day theme is that we were all once children and to some extent we still are. Our bodies may stop growing but our minds and our emotions are constantly changing - we continue to grow inside. As we learn from each other and strive to improve the world we live in we must remember that nobody has all the answers and everyone is vulnerable. By supporting each other and working together we unlock the potential in ourselves and in the services we develop, and in doing that we continue to grow, in a world with AIDS.

Andrew

Manager

We’re putting on a show!!!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved those old Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney films where, for some lame excuse or other, they decide to “put on a show” in their back garden. With some old clothes and a few friends they managed to produce Broadway style productions that any West End producer would be proud of. With 24 hours, they had sets the size of the Potteries Shopping Centre and a cast of thousands, all completely costumed and word/foot perfect.

Well, I though, if they can do it, so can I!. Fortunately for Mickey and Judy, they lived in a time devoid of filofaxes, Health and Safety Officers and had a budget of about $3m. Unfortunately for me, I don’t.

Putting on my “little show” has made me realise how things have changed with regard to peoples work habits. 13 years ago we did a show at The Star, run by the lovely Tony Buxton which was fairly easy to put together, but gone are the days where almost everyone worked from 8am till around 5pm. Now everyone seems to work shifts, weekends, part-time, nights, and trying to get 35 people to be in the same place at the same time for rehearsals has been a logistic nightmare! With a cast of around 35, and backstage crew of around 15, when to rehearse has been much more difficult than the actual rehearsals themselves!

But, as they say in all their best movies, the show must go on, and it will.

Taking place at The Club, the Red Ribbon Riot has grown into quite an event. With live singers, dancers, comedy acts and even the Gay Line Dancers (dancing to Madonna!) it should certainly be a night to remember, and not one to be missed. And not only will you have a good time, you will be helping to raise money for the hospice appeal at Ward 70 of the City General Hospital which will directly improve the facilities for those patients living with HIV.

Your £3 ticket, available from Staffs Buddies, The Piccadilly Project and all local gay venues, also enters you into a prize draw and could win you a colour TV, a midi HI-FI, or even a Weekend for Two in PARIS among many other prizes.

If you are not able to make it to any of the other events taking place around World AIDS day, try to make this one, as it promises to be a night to remember.

The time&ldots;

Sunday 30th November 9pm-2.am (yes, there’s even a late licence)

The place&ldots;

The Club, 14 Hillcrest Street, Hanley

Tel 201251 for ticket details.

Enjoy!!

Bob Lishman

Sue Lander (Secretary) and Maurice Greenham ,(Service User Representative & Chairman of MUSICAID) with Hi Fi unit bought from funds raised by MUSICAID.

Healthy Eating

Food is a very important part of our lives. As we all know without it the body cannot function, we all need food for survival. Food is also one of the pleasures of life, so the most important thing is to enjoy your food. Don’t eat food that you don’t really like just because it is good for you. We all have different likes and dislikes. We have different bodies and life styles to match.

I need to point out that the information I am offering is from my experience of working in the catering industry. Anybody who has eating problems, such as weight loss, should seek professional advice from a dietician. Appointments can be arranged through your doctor or GUM clinic. Eating healthily is not the same as dieting; it is a question of looking at what we eat in order to improve our health. One of the major problems of people living with HIV is weight loss or trying to maintain a stable weight. This can be difficult if the person feels ill, has no appetite, has difficulty swallowing food, or has bowel and stomach problems. Another problem for people on triple drug therapy is eating in compliance with a timetable. This can play havoc with your social life.

Vitamins are essential if your appetite is not very good. A multi-vitamin tablet and high strength vitamin C would be good combination. Vitamin C is especially beneficial in the winter as it helps our immune systems to protect us against colds and flu.

Strengthening our immune Systems

How do we eat to strengthen our immune system? Well, quite simply, we can do so with balance and variety. Here’s some food we should eat every day.

Our diet should incorporate:

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

• Bread, Cereals, Potatoes, Pasta, Rice

• Meat, Fish, Eggs, Beans, Nuts

• Milk, Cheese, Yoghurt, Fats and Sugars.

Eating meat is not essential every day so long as you get protein from other food such as pilchards, tuna, cheese, and eggs or baked beans.

HEALTHY TIPS

Try to eat 3 or 4 small meals a day rather than one or two large meals, and see if you have more energy. Breakfast is not a packet of 20 fags and 2 pots of tea! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets you up, so to speak. If you want a cooked breakfast and you have the time that’s great! But cereal and toast is just as good if not better. If you need extra nourishment add dried fruit, nuts, full cream milk, and yoghourt or honey with your cereal.Go shopping when you have just had a meal, because when we are hungry we tend to buy a lot of junk food.

Future advice

I shall, in future editions, give you some tried and tested recipes of my own. So get your aprons, pots and pans ready.

Hopefully, I will make you all “chefs of the year”!

Robert

Executive Committee. Staffordshire Buddies is a registered charity governed by a committee of trustees. This “executive committee”, currently comprises of 12 people, including the 2 service user representatives recently co-opted onto it. Charities are public bodies therefore anyone can attend committee meetings to observe the organisations business. Any service user, client or volunteer who wishes to sit in on meetings should contact the office for details.

Tuesdays 2.00 - 4.30 Drop-In (Therapy Sessions to be booked via therapists)

Thursdays 7.00 - 10.00 Social/Support Group (Therapy sessions alternate weeks booked through therapists)

Internet and Computer Access by arrangement (Tuition available Tuesday evening by arrangement with Bob.

Volunteers

Next Executive Meeting Wednesday 10th December Hanley Centre.

Christmas Get Together

12th December at the Upper House Barlaston (All service users and partners together with all volunteers and partners are invited)

Purpose of the Newsletter

The purpose of the Newsletter is to inform, to enlighten, up-lift even to entertain its readers. It is targeted at those who are HIV+ to off-set the isolation and anxiety often encountered by people living with the virus. There is, however, no restriction to being placed on our mailing list which currently extends to volunteers, health workers, hospital departments, doctors, dentists and others who interested in matters around HIV & AIDS.

The paper is run by a team of volunteers drawn together by common interests. Although the group is made up of people regardless of sex, sexual orientation or HIV status, it has sufficient input from service users to be described , justifiably, as a voice of positive people.

We are a bi-monthly publication. Feedback on content, policy, format or whatever is encouraged and submission of articles and letters are always welcome.