World AIDS Day Round-up

This year saw a mountain of support for World AIDS Day surrounding our office at Mansfield Place in Edinburgh. Businesses in Broughton Street rallied round and helped raise awareness and funds by selling red ribbons as well as donating raffle prizes. Edinburgh’s gay pubs and clubs then came up trumps with many events including raffles, cloakroom collections, drinks offers, quizzes, live music and more! Between them all they raised over £2,000 which is absolutely fantastic, so thank you to….

Apple Pharmacy, Artisan Roast, Barony Bar, Blue Moon Cafe, Boombarbers, Broughton Deli, Broughton Street Book Shop, CC Blooms, Chequers Too, Concrete Wardrobe, Crollas, Crombies, Curiouser and Curiouser, Dragonfly, Essential Therapy, Frenchies, GHQ, Cafe Habana, Cafe Nom De Plume, Drama, Joey D, L’Escargot Bleu, Mathers, Narcissus, New Town Bar, Phoenix, Planet, Priscillas, Q Store, Real Foods, Regent Bar, Salon LA, Siam Thani, Smoke Stack, Something Fishy, The Street, The Village, ThriftChic Boutique, Villeneuve Wines, Vino Wines.

Added to all this we had our regular community gathering at St John’s Church in Edinburgh, our joint gathering in St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow with THT and Gay Men’s Health and our first ever World AIDS Day gathering in Inverness where more than 70 people joined us for choir music, poetry and live music by singer songwriter Emma Mitchell.

This year also saw an evening of music and reflection by Firrhill High School and Braidburn School hosted by Colinton Church. We had a bucket shake at Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus winter concert, Mistletoe and Musicals which raised a cracking £400.

With support from the team at the Edinburgh Playhouse the cast and crew of We Will Rock You have been shaking buckets for us and raised a fantastic total of £8,323.58!

Last but not least some of the students of the Royal High School have been out and about around town spreading the festive spirit with some carol singing while collecting donations for Waverley Care.

We’re bowled over by the amount of support we’ve seen around World AIDS Day this year and would like to say a massive thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of those who have given their time, enthusiasm and support to help those living in Scotland with HIV.

Photo credit: Colin Hattersley