World AIDS Day 2011

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year. It is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.
More than 90,000 people are currently living with HIV in the UK and globally an estimated 33.3 million people have HIV. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus.
This year’s theme is Act Aware. But before people can act aware they need to be aware of the facts. There are two really excellent websites that give you a lot of facts, information on how to stay safe and ways in which you can help raise awareness and funds. They are:

http://www.hivaware.org.uk/
http://www.worldaidsday.org/about-hiv.php

HIV Facts:
HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus which attacks the body's immune system — the body's defence against diseases.
HIV can be passed on through infected bodily fluids, most commonly via sex without a condom or by sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment.
There are now more people than ever living with HIV in the UK — more than 90,000 — with around a quarter of those unaware they have the virus.
Here are a few more facts about HIV in the UK:
· Over 90% of people with HIV were infected through sexual contact
· You can now get tested for HIV using a saliva sample
· HIV is not passed on through spitting, biting or sharing utensils
· Only 1% of babies born to HIV positive mothers have HIV
· You can get the results of an HIV test in just 15-20 minutes
· There is no vaccine and no cure for HIV

There are many myths about HIV too just because people aren’t properly educated. HIV isn’t a disease that only gay men have, it is true that they are particularly affected by it BUT it is found in heterosexual men and women too. In 2010 the majority of new cases of HIV were acquired heterosexually. Once you find out the facts it will enable you to act aware.

So this year why not Act Aware? It is about taking action and making commitments to help improve understanding about HIV in the UK, prevent HIV transmission and stop prejudice. You can do this by:

·Find out the facts about HIV and bust the myths

Take the quiz on http://www.hivaware.org.uk/act-aware/how-act-aware.php
to find out if you've put yourself at risk of HIV and have an HIV test if recommended

·Talk to your partner, friends or children about HIV and point them in the direction of this website: http://www.hivaware.org.uk/act-aware/how-act-aware.php so they can learn the facts

Find out if your local school has a comprehensive sex and relationships education (SRE) programme, and teaches young people about HIV and explain why it’s important.

If you learn something new about HIV, share it with others who might be less informed

Check whether your employer has robust policies to ensure people living with HIV are treated fairly at work

Always use a condom when having sex with a new partner

Challenge people who hold misconceptions about HIV by telling them the facts and encouraging respect and understanding

Organise a fundraising event to raise awareness of HIV in the UK

By finding out the facts and acting aware we can reduce the number of new cases of HIV and improve the lives of people already living with it. There is a current campaign to ensure that future generations do not grow up ignorant of the facts of HIV and how to prevent its transmission. This is so important as New HIV diagnoses among young people are on the increase. Since 2000, they have risen by nearly 70% among the 15-24 year olds and among young gay men they have more than doubled. Reliable HIV information for young people has never been more important. Education in schools has a crucial role to play in this but the current standard of HIV education is simply not up to scratch. To support this campaign to get this issue brought into the classroom please go to: http://www.hivaware.org.uk/act-aware/support-campaign.php and follow their instructions!

This World AIDS Day do something that will make a difference!

Children in Need

Children in Need has just been broadcast but did you know that it first began in 1927? It was first a broadcast appeal for children that constituted a five-minute radio broadcast on Christmas Day in 1927. The response was phenomenal and it raised £1,143 18s 3d which was split between 4 prominent children's charities. The first televised appeal was the 1955 'Children's Hour Christmas Appeal', presented by Sooty and Harry Corbett. The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio right up until 1979, raising a total of £625,836. In 1980 the appeal was broadcast on BBC One in a new telethon format, hosted by Terry with Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen for the first time. It has continued up to this day and has so far raised in excess of £600 million.

Pudsey has been the mascot since 1985 but he first appeared as a cuddly brown bear, he took on his more familiar appearance in 1986 when he became yellow with a spotted bandage and he stayed like that until he was revamped again in 2007 this was to made him brighter and more appealing.

Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a childhood which is:

· Safe
· Happy and Secure
· Allows them the chance to reach their potential

They provide grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. They operate all throughout the UK and give grants to both small and large organisations four times a year. They help such a wide range of children and on their website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/ there are so many wonderful and tear jerking stories of how people’s money has gone to help those really in need.

So this year try and spare what you can or get involved in any way you are able to raise money for this fantastic Charity that does so much to help those who otherwise would be living without the things most of us take for granted.

Portage Wins Charity Bands

Portage is one of StairSteady’s favourite charities and we particularly support the locally based Rotherham service. Portage is a home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families. The National Portage Association was established in 1983 to offer support and information to parents and professionals involved in Portage, and have been at the forefront of developments in support to very young children and their families since then. The Association became a charitable company in 2001.

Portage aims to:

work with families to help them develop a quality of life and experience for themselves and their young children in which they can learn together, play together, participate and be included in their community in their own right

play a part in minimising the disabling barriers that confront young children and their families receiving Portage services

support the national and local development of inclusive services for children

Through our involvement with this charity, StairSteady has become aware of the invaluable help and support that Portage provides to families within the community. Most services are reliant upon donations and funds raised through events and initiatives to maintain their work. Rotherham Portage Service recently entered a competition run by Steel City Marketing, who are based in Sheffield, and were the proud winners of 100 charity bands.

The charity bands are white with blue writing and have the words Rotherham Portage Service on them. Portage is offering a band for a minimum donation of £1 each to raise much needed funds for them to carry on their valuable work within the local community. StairSteady employees were amongst the first people to buy these unique bands! If you too would like to buy one of these bands or make a donation please contact Ruth on 0845 652 88 04. All donations will provide resources for the Rotherham Portage Service to help home visitors working with local families with children with additional needs. Please do what you can to keep this important service going.