Saving Lives is proud to be convening a community-wide World AIDS Day event in the Black Country for 2026, in partnership with local people who are living with the virus.
The all-day event will take place at West Bromwich Central Library on World AIDS Day, December 1st. It will include a community marketplace for all of charities, businesses and community groups, panel discussions and workshops – and an evening celebration featuring spoken word poetry, a DJ – and live music.
“Can’t Wait To Welcome The Whole Community”
The event is the first of its kind for the Black Country, and would not be possible without the support of local authorities, the library service, NHS clinics and more.
Chido Manyande and Yanique Taylor, the women leading the event, said: “It’s so exciting to be able to mark World AIDS Day in such a loud and proud way here in the Black Country.
“Today’s treatments mean that – as long as you get tested – you can live a long life and not transmit the virus. We want to communicate this great news, and can’t wait to welcome the whole community!”
Dan Hartland is CEO of Saving Lives. “We could not be prouder to be supporting local people to raise awareness about HIV in such an open, community-facing way as this,” he said.
“We have been working in the West Midlands for many years, and building up and supporting the community so that they can visualise an event like this – and then make it happen – is among the most rewarding work we do.”
All Are Welcome
Saving Lives has long supported a World AIDS Day event in the city centre of Birmingham, and in 2023 helped unveil the Birmingham AIDS & HIV Memorial. This event expands commemoration of World AIDS Day into the wider Midlands, closer than ever to local communities.
Local groups and businesses are welcome to apply to have a stand at the event, whatever their area of activity, and support better health outcomes in the Black Country.
The event begins at 10am at West Bromwich Central Library. A lunchtime panel discussion featuring clinicians, community workers and people living with the virus will take place at 1pm. Evening entertainment will begin at 6pm and last until 10pm.
To learn more and register interest, see the event’s page here.
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