Date: April 21st 2009
Contact: Hizze Fletcher at Thirteen Art Productions
Tel: 07535 118513
Kopano Fc V's Atheltico Chip Basket Fc (senior game) & Woodingdean Youth Fc V's Bec Utd Fc (junior game).
‘Know Your Status; Get Tested’ Football tournament with a purpose; a charity event brought to entertain you as well as promote good sexual health. ‘Know Your Status; Get Tested’ ………..is better at the beginning or end?
Sussex African Communities Project (SACP) working with Shae Shae Creations and Kopano FC, is holding a football tournament at Southwick Football Club (Brighton, UK) home ground on Sunday 17th May 2009 to bring awareness to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities across Sussex about the benefits of early HIV testing.
The event is about encouraging leadership and ownership of the health issues around us. With the main slogan ‘Know Your Status’ ‘Get Tested’. The key objective is to reduce the numbers of undiagnosed HIV amongst BME communities by encouraging people to utilise local HIV testing services.
Despite the fact that newer medications make HIV manageable for many, people often fail to identify themselves as being at risk, or they feel that being tested and diagnosed is a burdensome stigma. By ignoring the fact that they may be at risk, hiding from it or prolonging the time before seeking medical attention, they allow the virus to replicate unchecked and the disease to progress. Late stage disease generally results in poorer disease outcomes and reduced quality of life.
Beatrice Nabulya, Project Coordinator for SACP says: “We bring communities together to learn, share and support each other by participating in HIV prevention openly, challenging stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.”
Event co-organiser Wayne James, player/manager of Brighton-based football team Kopano FC, will join other players in taking an HIV test prior to the day. They will share their experience of the testing process at the event in an attempt to help combat stigma as well as increasing community awareness and responsibility. There will be free Chlamydia screening on the day.
This is a family-based event with youth and adult teams competing in the tournament. There will be a DJ and live entertainment plus refreshments. The event is free, but entrance will be by ticket only which entitles you to food, a soft drink and entertainment. Donations on the day will be appreciated to support our local HIV charity work.
Your free ticket collection points:
Shae Shae Creations: 50 Queens, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3
Tel: 01273-230832 Daytime
Mob: 07955-079059 Mobile
Afrik Mart: 4 Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 4QF
Tel: 01273691101
Notes to editors
- The prevalence of diagnosed HIV in Black African and Afro-Caribbean communities in England is estimated to be 3.7% and 0.4% respectively, compared to 0.09% among the white population.
- 40% of all new HIV diagnoses in the UK were among Black Africans. The majority had acquired their infection heterosexually. New diagnoses among Afro-Caribbeans represented 3% of new diagnoses.
- Among new diagnoses the percentage of late diagnoses of HIV was highest among Black Africans (42%). 27% of HIV diagnoses among Afro-Caribbeans were late.
- Sussex African Communities Project is a sexual health and HIV prevention project working with local Black African and Afro-Caribbean communities living in West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
The football tournament will be held on Sunday 17th May from 12 until 6pm.
Entrance will be by ticket only which entitles the bearer to food and entertainment.
Southwick Football Club ground is located at Old Barn Way, Southwick, BN42 4NT
Contacts
Beatrice Nabulya, Project Coordinator, Sussex African Communities Project (SACP)
Tel: 01273 229002 / 07877301269
Email: Beatrice@afss.org
Wayne James, Shae Shae Creations & Event Co-organiser
Tel: 01273 230832 / 07955079059
No comments:
Post a Comment