Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), Southwark Primary Care Trust (PCT) and GMFA are launching a gay men’s health initiative to provide a gateway to health and counselling services as well as on-the-spot advice at gay men’s venues in Southwark over the next six months. The launch event will take place at XXL on 28 th May for the Bear Pride weekend.

On the night, THT will host a chill-out tent with calming music, soft lighting, stress-busting neck and shoulder massages, custom-made THT stress balls and information on THT’s gay men’s counselling and sexual health services. GMFA will also be there on the night to talk about their smoking cessation courses for gay men.

The launch event is the first of a series of six monthly events at commercial gay venues in Southwark. Over the coming months, Southwark PCT’s male nurses will also be offering gay men’s health MOTs, including a range of health checks and nutrition advice.

The work is part of the Southwark Men’s Health Programme which follows statistics showing that men in Southwark have poorer health than men in the rest of the country and are at greater risk of developing conditions such as coronary heart disease, strokes and lung cancer.

Glyn Thomas , Senior Detached Work Development Officer at Terrence Higgins Trust said:  “We’re really looking forward to this event. It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of health, lifestyle and sexual health issues and to show people that even small lifestyle changes can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing.”

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Notes to editors

• Southwark PCT, Southwark Council, Health First, Fusion, Terrence Higgins Trust and other local partners are working together to provide a holistic programme for improving the health of Southwark men.
• Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK ’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, providing a wide range of services to over 50,000 people a year.   The charity also campaigns and lobbies for greater political and public understanding of the personal, social and medical impact of HIV and AIDS.