UK based HIV and sexual health charity, announce the winners of their ‘Grassroots Grants’ programme.

Saving Lives, the UK-based HIV and sexual health charity known for its innovative home sampling kits, can today announce the winning three applications to their ‘Grassroots Grants’ programme. The grants, of £1000 each,  have been awarded to small groups or organisations that are working on the ground to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of people living with, or affected by, HIV in their communities.

The ‘Grassroots Grants’ programme was launched in this year  in recognition of the incredible work done by small charities and groups, especially against the backdrop of COVID restrictions and redirection of funding away from HIV projects in 2020.

The charity’s clinical director, Dr Steve Taylor, wanted to make it clear that this focus on smaller organisations is based in Saving Lives’ own roots.

“When we launched nearly ten years ago, we did so powered only by the commitment of volunteers and the generosity of like-minded partners.”

“The ‘Grassroots Grants’ programme is our way of giving back, and helping seed the next generation of transformational small charities.”

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The three chosen applications have come from across the UK, each supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of people living with, or affected by, HIV.

Winner 1: Body Positive Dorset. Founded in 1986 Body Positive Dorset works to support people living with HIV across the county of Dorset – both in person and remotely.

“What a fabulous start to our Wellbeing and Mental Health peer led project. We are thrilled to have been chosen to receive a Grassroots Grant. We are looking forward to capturing our journey in pictures and videos for a visual peer project. This is very exciting for our charity. Thank you.” – Samantha Dawson, Service manager.

Winner 2: Plushealth. This recently formed charity works to provide online peer support and mentoring to people living with HIV across the UK.

“We’re over the moon to be chosen to receive a Grassroots Grant this year! We’ll use the funding to improve our website, making it more interactive & engaging. It’s an exciting time for us as a new charity. Thank you so so much.” – Chris Williams, Service Lead.

Winner 3: Our Positive Voice (Grampian). Our Positive Voice is a patient forum that offers peer support to people living with HIV across Aberdeen city, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

“We at Our Positive Voice (Grampian) are so delighted and grateful that our application has been successful. We are a small but mighty bunch, and this funding will go directly towards helping support our HIV+ community as we further establish our peer support offer, and also continue to raise awareness of key information across the region about what it means to be HIV+ in the present day. Thanks so much and we look forward to updating you on how the funding is being used.”  – Barry Drennan, Chair.

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Saving Lives trustee, Tom Hayes, said:

“When Saving Lives started out just a few years ago it was in no small part due to the generosity of friends, family and partners.”

“It’s wonderful to be able to offer these grants to other small charities and groups – to give them the boost they need to keep making differences to people’s lives. We look forward to seeing what they achieve in the coming year.”

Saving Lives is a UK-based charity registered with the Charity Commission (number 1144855). We exist to combat stigma and promote testing for HIV, Hepatitis B and C and other Sexually Transmitted Infections.