Staffordshire Buddies was established in 1993 and became a registered charity in 1995. The remarkable history of the early years of the charity have been chronicled in a book which you can download free from our publications page (click here)
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The Staffordshire Buddies logo combines three international and local symbols... |
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 The red ribbon is the international symbol for HIV/AIDS awareness and is recognised throughout the world. Wearing a red ribbon is a simple and powerful way to challenge the stigma and prejudice that still surrounds HIV and AIDS preventing an effective response to the global epidemic.
The red ribbon was originally created in 1991 by the New York based organisation Visual AIDS, which brought together artists to create a symbol of support for the growing number of people living with HIV in the United States of America.
The first international celebrity to wear a red ribbon was Jeremy Irons at the 1991 Tony Awards. The symbol came to Europe on a mass scale on Easter Monday in 1992, when more than 100,000 red ribbons were distributed during the Freddie Mercury AIDS Awareness Tribute Concert at Wembley stadium. More than 1 billion people in more than 70 countries worldwide watched the show on television. The Freddy Mercury Phoenix Trust donated £20,000 to Staffordshire Buddies in 1995 enabling us to establish our first drop-in centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. |
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 The second component of our logo is the "Stafford Knot" often incorrectly referred to as the "Staffordshire Knot".
The Stafford Knot is the most widely recognised symbol of Staffordshire and is used throughout the county by local organisations including councils, hospitals, businesses, fire services and the police. It has also been widely used as a makers mark by the local pottery industry.
The earliest known appearance of the Stafford Knot is the shaft of an Anglo Saxon stone cross located in a Stoke-on-Trent churchyard. This strongly suggests it pre-dates the Norman and medieval period, being probably either a heraldic symbol of early Mercia or a Celtic Christian symbol brought to Staffordshire by missionary monks from Lindisfarne. A popular romantic legend that the knot was devised by the Stafford County Sherriff to hang three criminals is a myth with no historical basis.
In heraldry the Stafford Knot is the symbol of the De Stafford family. It appears in the arms of Stafford and in the arms of Staffordshire which carry the motto "The Knot Unites"
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 The third and final component of our logo is the word "Buddies". The volunteers who pioneered the first community responses to the AIDS epidemic in America in the 1980s called themselves Buddies and the term was subsequently adopted by volunteers helping people with HIV in other parts of the world including in the UK. A buddy was (and still is) a person who befriends a person living with HIV to provide emotional support and practical help. When the first group of volunteers were recruited to help people living with HIV/AIDS in Staffordshire they were asked to decide a name for their new organisation - they said "Buddies" are what we are so "Buddies" is what the organisation should be called"
In the first half of the1990s Buddy volunteers in the UK were primarily helping people with serious illness many of whom had symptoms that caused sensory and physical disabilities. Since the advent of new antiretroviral tretments in the later 1990s many people living with HIV/AIDS have been able to live with HIV as a manageable condition and the need for physical help has diminished. However, there is still a need for the support provided by Buddies even though the role has changed. These days Buddies are more likely to be involved in emotional support and advocacy especially following a new diagnosis. However, some people still become ill despite modern treatments and buddies are still occasionally needed to provide care for people with physical or sensory impairment caused by HIV. |
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 When we put the three elements together we have the logo used by the Charity today. It symbolises global HIV/AIDS awareness, our local response, the unity of all the clients, volunteers and staff that work to limit the impact of HIV in Staffordshire and our historical roots as a buddy service established in the early years of the epidemic.
Staffordshire Buddies is no longer just a buddy service - we undertake a diverse range of activities to support people living with HIV and to prevent the transmission of HIV within communities at risk. You can find out about the many services we offer on our services pages or read our latest annual report to see how we are making a difference. |
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