For Sexual Health Week (5 – 13 August) Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) supported by Solihull Primary Care Trust and Durex will be handing out sexual health packs to young holiday makers at Birmingham International Airport.

Young people from the West Midlands came out top in a recent Foreign & Commonwealth Office survey1 of the risks taken by young holiday makers, with 64% of people surveyed from the West Midlands reporting "having casual sex" as a favored holiday activity, compared to the national average of 28%.

Terrence Higgins Trust’s survey of young people aged 18-30 traveling from Birmingham International Airport during sexual health week last year showed that:

• Only a quarter (27%) of the young people questioned were carrying condoms
• Only 17% of women and 36% of men were carrying condoms

The campaign stand at Terminal One, Birmingham International Airport (BIA), will be manned by THT and Solihull Primary Care Trust staff and volunteers who will target 18-30 year olds with sexual health packs containing Durex condoms and lubricants, safer sex materials, alcohol unit calculator wheels and bottle tops to protect holiday drinkers from having their drink spiked. 

Solihull Primary Care Trust has provided £3,000 towards the cost of running the campaign and will be advertising it with posters in local GP surgeries and pharmacies. Durex has kindly donated 15,000 Pleasuremax condoms and 6,000 packs of Durex Play Feel lubricant and Coventry Community Safety Partnership has supplied 20,000 bottle tops for the campaign.

Caroline Mason, Coventry Services Manager for Terrence Higgins Trust (Midlands) said:
“There seems to be a big gap between the number of young people having casual sex on holiday and the number who go prepared with condoms. If holiday makers are going to have sex, we want them to do it as safely as possible. Sexually transmitted infections are still on the rise and we don’t want people coming back from holiday with more than they bargained for.”

Paul Sheehan, Sexual Health and HIV Coordinator for Solihull Primary Care Trust said, “
“This campaign plays a key part in the Primary Care Trust’s Sexual Health action plan and our joint Teenage Pregnancy Action Plan, developed with Solihull Council, to ensure that we work together to reduce the amount of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies across the borough.”

Our aim is not to tell people what to do, but to encourage them to be as aware and safe as possible whilst on holiday. We’ll be there every day so make sure you drop by and see us before you fly”

Ruth Gresty, Durex UK brand manager, said: “Durex’s own summer sex survey has shown that one in 16 Brits has had sex with five or more different partners during a summer holiday, getting it on in all manner of locations - including balconies, the beach, pool, sea, clubs or even on a plane.

“We want to encourage these holiday-makers to take precautions to ensure that they do not come home with more than they bargained for, such as nasty STI or unplanned pregnancy.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. Photocall for Sexual Health Week:
Date: Monday 7 August
Time: 11am
Place: Birmingham International Airport, Terminal 1
On the first floor opposite the Sky Rail Link

Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and Solihull Primary Care Trust will be manning their Sexual Health Week Stand and handing out sexual health packs to holiday-makers. Please contact The Terrence Higgins Trust Press Office if you would like to attend – 020 7812 1623.

2. Foreign & Commonwealth Office survey of 16-30 year old holiday makers, June 2005: 

• 15% of young tourists said having sex was a priority, this rose to 29% among those from the West Midlands
• 64% of people surveyed from the West Midlands reported 'having casual sex' as a favored holiday activity compared to the national average of 28%
• 14% of people surveyed from the West Midlands reported having 'unprotected sex' compared to the national average of 5%
• A third of those interviewed agreed with the statement: "I usually end up doing stupid things, but it doesn't matter because it's all part of enjoying myself."

3. 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 sexual health.