It has been a busy year for the Sussex Beacon, the Brighton-based charity supporting and caring for people living with HIV. The Beacon’s Inpatient Unit remains very much in demand, adapting to meet the changing needs of service users over the years. Meanwhile, its Community Services Team has been extremely busy, pioneering new ways of addressing the likes of self-stigma, whilst strengthening its offering to ensure more people than ever living with HIV across Sussex have access to key services.
In March, the Community Services Team held a ground-breaking drag workshop, Drag Queen For A Day (DQ4ADAY), which focused on addressing and eradicating self-stigma and low self-confidence, by removing the participants’ protective HIV mask, replacing it with a mask that lets them see and interact with the world in a completely different way. The Beacon recruited a selection of drag artists, most of whom live locally, to mentor the workshop participants, people living with HIV experiencing self-stigma and low confidence levels. It was determined that the measure of the workshop’s success would be increased self-confidence and an attitude of ‘well if I did this, then I can surely do that’. The post-DQ4ADAY feedback was unequivocal in its praise.
Alan Spink (Community Services Team Supervisor) was invited to deliver a presentation on DQ4ADAY at the 25thAnnual NHIVNA Conference in Birmingham, in June. Members of the team also participated in a three-day exhibition.
Other highlights of the year include:
- The creation of caseworker hubs in Crawley and Hastings.
- The Sussex Beacon proudly supported the Terrence Higgins Trust-led Fighting HIV Stigma And Proud March, Vigil and Rally in London in March. Beacon management, community services and fundraising teams attended the event.
- Having also supported July’s Zero HIV Stigma Day at Jubilee Square, the Sussex Beacon Women and Families Group was excited to present an on-site event, where women living with HIV met the authors of Our Stories Told By Us: Celebrating the African Contribution to the UK HIV Response. One of the authors, Angelina Namiba, spoke at the Zero HIV Stigma Day vigil. Glowing feedback was received from all event participants.
- Staff and volunteers from the Sussex Beacon battled the elements to march in the Brighton & Hove Pride Parade, attracting great attention thanks to their colourful placards bearing slogans including ‘HIV Stigma Is A Drag’, ‘HIV Stigma Is A B*tch’ and ‘HIV Stigma Sucks’.
With the Sussex Beacon’s services increasingly in demand, the Community Services Team highlights two case studies, where their work has proved invaluable in 2023:
‘Alex’
One of the Beacon’s case workers has spoken of ‘Alex’, a man in his 50s, living with HIV and multiple physical and mental health issues. Over a period of time, the case worker has developed a rapport and a degree of trust with ‘Alex’, working alongside ‘Alex’’s GP, the Housing Association, Brighton & Hove Council and the local MP regarding a range of serious issues.
Having experienced considerable self-stigma and being nervous about going to the Sussex Beacon, ‘Alex’ now visits the Beacon for case work. He even makes items to be sold in their shops. ‘Alex’ is now interacting with other people living with HIV, is more confident and less afraid to live his life.
‘Jen’
Established 10 years ago, the Sussex Beacon’s Women & Families Service plays a vital role within the community. The service’s case worker has explained how ‘Jen’ is now quite settled, a year after moving to the area while suffering self-stigma and feeling quite isolated. At the time she didn’t know any other women living with HIV.
‘Jen’ started to attend the Beacon’s Women’s Group for peer support from other women living with HIV, since making friends with some women in the group. Increasing her confidence and self-worth, the group has become a key support network for her.
The group’s Women & Families worker has also provided ‘Jen’ with one-to-one support, helping her apply for disability benefits and access grants, thereby further assisting Jen to care for her disabled child.
Looking ahead …
A reception is due to be held at the Houses of Parliament in January, celebrating the Sussex Beacon’s 30 years of service to the community, hosted by the Sussex Beacon’s local MP. Additional caseworker hubs are planned in new locations including Worthing, Eastbourne and Brighton city centre. Plans are underway for a second DQ4ADAY workshop, which the Sussex Beacon hopes to hold in 2024.
As the needs of its service users continue to change, the Sussex Beacon stresses it will always adapt to ensure it continues to provide the support and care to people living with HIV, for which it has become so well known and loved.
Words by Scott Davidson
For more info on the Sussex Beacon, CLICK HERE
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