Common Ambition Bristol officially launches with support from SHIP HIT

A major new project is inviting people to its virtual launch event, to find out more about how it will be working with people of African and Caribbean heritage to tackle HIV infections and stigma in these communities in Bristol and the surrounding area.

Common Ambition Bristol will see people of African and Caribbean heritage working in partnership with health care professionals to help develop new ways of increasing the uptake of HIV testing and reduce late HIV diagnosis and the stigma relating to it.

In order to achieve these goals, people of African and Caribbean heritage are encouraged to get in involved in the project through various paid and volunteer opportunities. To provide an opportunity to find out more about the project and ask any questions, a virtual launch event will be taking place on Tuesday 2 February.

The online meeting will take place over Zoom from 4.30pm – 5.30pm, and people are asked to register on this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/common-ambition-bristol-launch-event-tickets-135523984887

The event will give people the opportunity to find out more about the background of the project, how the project will run, what opportunities there will be to get involved, ask any question they may have and to register their interest in being involved in the future. There will also be entertainment kindly organised by the African Voices Forum, a Bristol-based network of African and African-Caribbean community organisations.

Common Ambition Bristol is a three year project which is being led by Brigstowe (a Bristol-based charity for people living with HIV), in partnership with African Voices Forum. They will be working in collaboration with African and Caribbean communities, health care professionals from Unity Sexual Health and public health teams from Bristol City Council to introduce new ways to increase the uptake of HIV testing and broader sexual health services. Researchers from the University of Bristol will work in collaboration with community members to evaluate the project. More information about the project can be found here – https://www.brigstowe.org/common-ambition-bristol/

Rami Ghali, chief executive officer of Brigstowe, said: “Brigstowe are excited about the opportunity to lead this strong partnership. The heart of Common Ambition Bristol is about genuine co-production and learning – we’re looking forward to working closely with African and Caribbean communities to find the best ways to increase HIV testing and reduce HIV stigma. We’ll be recruiting a diverse team of paid African and Caribbean community members to help us develop and test new approaches.”

David Dravie-John, vice chair of the from African Voices Forum: “The African Voices Forum (AVF) Ltd, an umbrella organisation for 16 local community associations in Bristol, is delighted to be part of this wonderful partnership project, ‘Common Ambition Bristol’, that will address the inequalities faced by African and Caribbean heritage communities on the transmission of HIV, knowledge of HIV, HIV stigma, HIV testing and uptake of treatment.”

Dr Lindsey Harryman, a consultant in genitourinary medicine at Unity Sexual Health which is led by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to work with our partners and the local community in a completely new way, and we look forward to virtually introducing people to this exciting project at our first event in February.”

Councillor Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for Communities, said: “Working for communities means we must work with them and we will be creating genuine partnerships with African and Caribbean heritage communities, looking to end the persistent HIV inequalities experienced in these groups. As part of the global Fast Track Cities Initiative, Bristol is committed to reduce new HIV transmissions in the city to zero by 2030. This exciting project will help us achieve that goal and we encourage people to engage with it.”

The project will run from January 2021 until December 2023 and will support people who, to date, have had limited voice and power to make decisions about their communities’ specific sexual health needs.

Dr Katy Turner, co-director of the Bristol Health Partners Sexual Health Improvement Programme Health Integration Team (SHIP HIT), said: “I’m really excited to be a part of this fantastic team to address health inequalities experienced by people of African and Caribbean heritage and make a real difference to our local community.”

If you are interested in finding out more about this project and are unable to attend the launch event, please email [email protected]