Saving Lives

Saving Lives aims to raise awareness of the importance of HIV testing, and reduce the barriers which still dissuade many from testing, including stigma and lack of education. We undertake campaigns in the media and various clinical settings involving prominent, clear and accessible messaging, celebrity and sporting advocates, and high-impact graphics. Our aim is to reduce the proportion of undiagnosed HIV in the UK and normalise HIV testing.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 people are living with HIV in the UK.

One quarter of those, that’s around 25,000 people, are not even be aware they are carrying the virus - and the only way to know if you are infected is to take a simple blood test.

Without testing, people can’t access life-saving treatment and without treatment, people can infect their sexual partners.

Without early diagnosis and treatment, people will present late with life threatening conditions.

What We Do

  • Improve general awareness of HIV and HIV testing amongst the public
  • Target general populations via mainstream activities and media – football, sport, music, social networks, tabloid media
  • Produce educational materials for NHS and charitable organisations [e.g. T3 Clinical Awareness Campaign]

How We Do It

  • Normalise HIV and HIV testing by using contemporary, everyday language
  • Conduct fresh, accessible media campaigns fronted by celebrity advocates [Saving Lives Avengers video series]
  • Use digital and online media to educate and entertain [Follow us on Twitter: @SavingLivesUK]
  • Encourage collaborative working through national and international networks of supporters, partners and volunteers

 

Get involved: our campaigns are designed to be free at the point of use, customisable for your local needs, and flexible enough to be deployed in a number of settings.

Our 'Campaign In A Box' offer provides high quality imagery, celebrity advocacy, and tested messaging: in a recent Birmingham campaign, 16% of clinic attendees cited our campaign as a reason for tested - and thirty-nine per cent of those people reported no other exposure to sexual health messaging. We are currently conducting campaigns in London and Nottingham, fronted by local celebrities and tailored to the situation on the ground (in London, a pilot opt-out HIV testing programme, in Nottingham an ongoing difficulty of late diagnosis).

Our Clinical Indicator Leaflets have been designed by leading HIV specialists, and tested in the hospital setting. They are designed to raise awareness amongst non-specialists about the signs of HIV, and when to refer patients for an HIV test. NICE Guidelines currently identify key at-risk groups, but it is crucial also to be alert to cases outside of these demographics. Our Clinical Indicator Leaflets are intended to provide the backbone of a hospital awareness campaign for medics, and can be supplied to you, customised with your phone number and website, free of charge.

Talk to us. Add us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or get in touch via our website: we're intent on building a nationwide network with a single goal: to reduce stigma, increase testing, and save lives.

Charity No: 1144855