Charity receives funding for to help with sexual health for LGBTQ+ communities

This HIV Testing Week, charities and organisations across England - including those across the South West - are being handed cash from the government to help fund new and innovative projects to boost engagement and outreach activity to reduce sexual health inequalities within LGBTQ+ communities.

Across England, these projects involve artificial intelligence (AI) chat bots, cartoon strips, night shelters and smart testing kits - just to name a few of the schemes benefiting from the cash.

In all, 14 schemes are being given funding, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Projects will offer services including vaccinations in community settings such as pubs and music festivals, raising awareness of sexual health issues at sex on premises venues, and communications to reduce anxiety around the mpox vaccine, all with the aim of boosting engagement and outreach activity to reduce sexual health inequalities in underserved LGBTQ+ communities.

Each community based, voluntary sector organisation has been awarded up to £30,000 as part of the £200,000 Mpox and Sexual Health (STI and HIV) Outreach and Engagement Activity Fund to enable this.

Funding here in the South West

Here in the South West, The Eddystone Trust have been awarded £7,500 to engage directly with LGBTQ+ individuals creating a peer-to-peer model that will equip people to deliver informal interventions and provide safer sex resources on sexual health, HIV and Mpox.

Their work covers Cornwall, Plymouth, Devon, Torbay, Somerset and Gloucestershire, as well as Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Gloucestershire through their partnership alongside the Terrence Higgins Trust.

For our region's charity chosen by the UKHSA, the money will be going towards supporting their mission to work alongside members of the LGBTQ+ community, to skill more volunteers with sexual health testing and support, to start conversations around sexual health and provide them with the technical knowledge to deliver rapid HIV testing.

James Mead, Development Lead for Prevention at The Eddystone Trust said: “We are extremely delighted to have been awarded this money. We recognise the importance of volunteers within the community and the role they play in advocating for the LGBTQ+ community.

“This project will equip individuals with the confidence needed to start conversations around sexual health, and the knowledge and skills to deliver effective sexual health interventions.”

For The Eddystone Trust, this is a very exciting time for them - and with their focus on face-to-face conversations with sexual health, the cash will aid this organisation in helping so many more people.

James added: "What's really exciting about this is that it's a face to face project. Over the last three years a lot of our services have been online. If you look at the offer across sexual health generally, a lot of services are accessed through online testing, such as online HIV testing. I'm really passionate about bringing our services to the people who need them.

"I'm also really excited to be skilling our volunteers, so for us, this is going to be a really good opportunity to get out there in the community and just get accurate information out there at a time when it's so desperately needed."

The innovation cash across the country

Kate Folkard, Head of Programme Delivery for Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses at UKHSA, said: “The innovation and reach of voluntary and community sector organisations is a vital piece in the puzzle of how we effectively tackle sexual health inequality across England. These projects span the length and breadth of the country and will provide a valuable set of resources in England to build on the achievements already seen in the response to the mpox outbreak.

“These organisations are the experts in their own communities and this fund will help further engage underserved populations and work with them to protect their health. I’m eager to see their innovative programmes come to fruition and we will work closely with them to help share the learning from their work across the country.”

Minister for Equalities, Stuart Andrew, said: “We’re determined to ensure that LGBTQ+ people have access to the healthcare and protections that they need.

“I’m delighted that the government has been able to fund this initiative and work with UKHSA to identify the necessary expertise that will make a real difference.

“It’s great to see so many innovative proposals and I know that LGBTQ+ individuals will benefit from the increased outreach of vital public health messaging.”

Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, Neil O’Brien, said: “Voluntary and community sector organisations play a key role in improving sexual health across the country. It’s great to see this investment in innovative projects that are working to achieve this in their local area.

“We are taking further action to address disparities in sexual health by providing £4 million for our National HIV Prevention Programme, and more than £3.4 billion to local authorities through the Public Health Grant to invest in essential frontline services.”

Other projects being handed UKHSA cash

• Increasing knowledge and access to sexual health information and testing among GBMSM and Bangladeshi GBMSM in eight north east London boroughs via a sexual health chatbot
• Producing an mpox cartoon strip promoting sexual health and mpox vaccination within London
• Targeted vaccination events to reach minority groups with mpox vaccination and access to STI testing and HIV testing via Sexual Health London 'smart' kits
• Supporting those who are struggling to adhere to HIV medications or who are anxious about getting tested with enhanced support
• Delivering tailored community based mpox and STI screening clinics in accessible, non-clinical settings such as at pride festivals and at music venues.
• Delivering a community workshops with the goal of understanding how to effectively engage with LGBTQ+ people at increased risk of mpox and other STIs
• Developing resources on STIs and HIV prevention for Black African GBMSM in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham with culturally appropriate resources and messaging

Sexual health inequality remains a major public health issue in England and in the last year has been further challenged by the global outbreak of mpox.

While case numbers have now dropped significantly, with no new cases identified since December, the outbreak highlighted the challenges of effectively reaching and engaging with underserved groups, including those at highest risk.

For this project, the money will have to be spent by the end of March 2023.

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