Cruising with protection

With that in mind, our Outreach team spent every Friday from May to September this past summer offering safer sex advice, free condoms and lube on Hampstead Heath in north London.

They wanted to ensure that men cruising and having sex outdoors were protecting themselves and each other.

Del Campbell, Terrence Higgins Trust's Community Engagement Manager, says: 'The men who go to public sex environments are not necessarily men who will see our safer sex messages online, in gay venues or in gay magazines.

'Some of them are taking quite a lot of risks, so it has been fantastic for us to talk to them and make them aware of the help that’s available from Terrence Higgins Trust. We met around 20 men each day and most of them were very pleased to see us there!'

The team also provided bins to make it easy for men to dispose of their used condoms and lube wrappings, helping to ensure the Heath remains a safe and litter-free place for everybody.

'We say to these men: "There's nothing wrong with what you are doing but there is also nothing wrong with other people coming to the Heath and having a picnic with their kids." There's enough space here for all of us.'

The Outreach team also worked with the Hampstead Heath Constabulary and Metropolitan Police Service to encourage people to report any hate crime they experienced or witnessed.

Del explains: 'A couple of officers joined us each Friday, and it was great to be able to dispel some of the myths about the way the Heath is policed.'

Following the success of this summer's project, Del and his team are eager to take it to more locations, such as Clapham Common in south London, if funding is available.

If you'd like to help out from next spring, then THT’s Outreach Team can be contacted on 020 7812 1809. All volunteers will receive training and expenses will be paid.