2025
HIV Testing Week 2025
This year HIV Testing Week ran from 10th to 16th of Feb
We ran a social media campaign to raise awareness and encourage participation.
WHY IS HIV TESTING WEEK IMPORTANT?
National HIV Testing Week 2025 is an important opportunity for us to get back on track to end new HIV cases by 2030 in England. We won’t be able to end new HIV transmissions without increasing testing and reaching people who do not currently test for HIV. National HIV Testing Week is an annual event to promote regular testing in England, particularly among groups most affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and heterosexuals of Black African ethnicity. It’s the only way to know if I have HIV, so I can stay in control of my health.
An estimated 4,700 people are currently living with undiagnosed HIV in England, including an estimated 1,600 GBMSM, 600 Black African heterosexual men and 1,000 Black African heterosexual women. Testing rates for HIV in sexual health services are still below 2019 levels, particularly among heterosexuals. While testing has increased among GBMSM, there are continuing health inequities including for those outside of London and for younger men. Amongst Black African heterosexuals, late diagnoses remain high and trends in new diagnoses suggest ongoing transmission. By co-ordinating our efforts around this week as community organisations, local authorities, clinicians, sexual health services, and other partners, we can create something greater than the sum of its parts – and have a long-lasting impact on HIV testing across the country.
Julieanne was interviewed by Whitehaven News to publicise HIV Testing Week
2024
World Aids Day 1st Dec 24
RePUBlic Gallery hosted an Eyes Open Exhibition that included artwork created in the EyesOpen #Iammorethan sessions and U=U campaign launch
The exhibition included a print of work created by Sir Henry Hate, ‘Monument One.’
The exhibition ran from the 30th of November to 14th December.
The #NE24 WAD event took place in the RePUBlic Gallery and Kings Head Café on Sunday 1st of December 2024.
Visitors could immerse themselves in the Oral Histories of people from across the Northeast and Cumbria living with HIV.
There was also live painting and music from talented local musicians.
Guest speakers:
Julieanne Mitchell & Tom Lowes. We were proud to have two of our Eyes Open members sharing their personal journey with HIV.
Stephen Hart. Positive Voices speaker for the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the London Ambassador for Stamp Out Spiking, a presenter on the radio show presenter and YouTuber: Hart Talks.
HIV Prevention England Conference
Members of the Eyes Open steering group attended the HIV Prevention England Conference 2024 where Jill was Exhibiting a brief of her Masters Thesis which investigates the low take-up of PrEP by women in the North-East.
HIV Testing Week 2024
We ran a social media campaign to raise awareness about HIV testing week events happening across the region.
We also ran our own events to promote the benefits of regular testing.
Julieanne also did an interview with the Newcastle Evening Chronicle to promote the campaign.
2023
We ran a community project to produce artwork for World Aids Day to show people living with HIV "are more than..."
We organised arts and crafts sessions at a number of venues for people living with HIV.
The Recovery College,
1 Carliol Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6UF
October 28th & 29th 2023
November 18th & 19th 2023
The Solway Hall, Lowther St.
Whitehaven, CA28 7SH
September 3rd & 10th 2023
October 1st & 8th 2023
U = U Event
17th March 2023
Civic Centre - Newcastle upon Tyne
2022
Monument One
Original Commissioned Artwork
by Henry Hate (b. 1968; contact: henry@henryhate.com)
U=U, Undetectable = Untransmissable; this is the incredible scientific breakthrough that means if a person living with HIV is on effective treatment, and their viral load is undetectable, then they cannot pass on the virus.
Monument One documents the milestones that have allowed people living with HIV to live longer, whilst paying tribute to those who are no longer with us.
Henry Hate is an American-born visual and tattoo artist living and working between London and Los Angeles. In his London shop, he has tattooed high-profile clients including Amy Winehouse. His HIV status was shared without his consent and he was 'outed' in the tabloid media in 2009, evidencing the stigmatised and ignorant treatment of people living with HIV.
His recent visual artwork weaves together a dialogue between classical techniques and modern popular culture, exploring taboos around sex, faith, sin, and salvation. This gives the viewer the impetus to question our own personal histories and see the world from a different perspective.
2021
U = U Campaign
If a person adheres to HIV medication, the virus in the blood reduces to undetectable levels. We can now say with complete confidence that people, living with HIV and on effective treatment, can no longer pass on HIV to others, even when sex is unprotected, this is called U=U which stands for Undetectable = Untransmittable.
We launched our U=U Campaign on the 20th October 2021
Nathaniel Hall from It's A Sin, who is also living with HIV, backed our campaign with lots of educational videos which went live on Vimeo and on our social media platforms which was then shared by our Steering Group, volunteers and other people in the community including Bauer Media Group, reaching 198,762 people (that we have been able to account for).
We had adverts on Pride, CFM & Metro Radio reaching a total of 1,915,000 people! We also spoke on various radio stations reaching a further 10,000 people!
2019
Our HIV Services Pop Card
We decided to develop and launch our own mini information card which we launched in time for World AIDS Day, December 1st 2019.
The pop card is printed in the style of a small business card which folds out to an A4 double sided sheet.
Information in the pop card includes:
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HIV Clinics
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Sexual Health Services
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Local services and groups
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HIV test information.
LET’S NAIL HIV STIGMA
This campaign was aimed at secondary schools and workplaces but really took off to include individuals!! The aim was to get as many people as possible to paint a finger nail Red on Friday 29th November and over the weekend until WAD on Sunday 1st December. As part of the campaign we encouraged people to talk to friends, family and work colleagues about why they had painted their nail Red thus raising awareness to a greater number of people.
We also encourage people to share pictures on their social media platforms, again raising awareness of HIV with the hashtag #LetsNailHIVStigma
The North East was the first area to have a ‘Let’s Nail HIV Stigma’ Campaign.
Below is a small sample of the photos sent to us and shared on social media.
