HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust is joining forces with other local HIV organisations to remind visitors to Birmingham Pride (23 – 24 May) not to put their sexual health at risk by getting carried away with the party mood.

Staff and volunteers from THT’s centres in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, along with organisations AB Plus and Freshwinds, will ride a float in Saturday’s Carnival Parade, promoting the safer sex message and handing out condoms to the crowds lining the parade route. They will also run a stall at the event, where festival-goers can pick up free condoms, along with important advice and information, including where to get tested if they have put themselves at risk.

Ben Watson, Centre Manager for THT in Birmingham, said: “Gay men are one of the groups most affected by HIV in the UK, and – after every Pride festival – we do see a rise in calls to our helpline THT Direct from men who are worried they have put themselves at risk of HIV and STIs. Birmingham Pride is a great event with a real festival atmosphere, and we would encourage people to enjoy themselves; just don’t forget your condoms!”

Same-sex couples are being encouraged to hold hands in public as part of a new campaign.

The "A Day in Hand" campaign wants people to upload pictures of same-sex hand-holding to their website, to help spread the word and raise awareness. Human rights activists Peter Tatchell and Cleve Jones, who was also aide to Harvey Milk have offered support, while I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here star Brian Paddick appears in a photo shoot for the campaign.The photos are being used to create a same-sex love map of the world.

London is currently the same-sex hand-holding hotspot of the world, with more couples in the city uploading their photos than anywhere else. People across the UK are invited to get involved and send in their photos.

 

Tracey Emin, Nancy Dell’Olio and Yasmin Le Bon get bidding fever at the Lighthouse Gala Auction

Tracey Emin and Nancy Dell’Olio teamed up to bid against Yasmin Le Bon at last night’s Lighthouse Gala Auction. The lot in question was a private recital by renowned cellist, Jamie Walton who eventually agreed to offer two recitals after the women got down to some fierce bidding.     

On a very successful night one bidder paid £10,000 for Joan Rivers to host a dinner party, another bidder paid over £3000 to go on a black cab tour of the east end with Barbara Windsor and a unique opportunity to have dinner with the Duchess of York raised £6,000. In total the evening raised over £250,000 for HIV and sexual health charity, Terrence Higgins Trust. 

According to Self Toy, sales of bondage kits are on the increase amongst young professionals, demonstrating that not only has the UK has loosened up as a nation, but being experimental is something of a necessity for keeping a relationship alive especially for those in their twenties and thirties.

Diminishing the ‘taboo’ usually associated with spanking, paddling and whipping your partner into shape, young twenty and thirty something’s are injecting a little spice into their bedroom antics and adding ball gags, handcuffs and ankle restraints to their 2009 wish lists.