Wear a red ribbon for World Aids Day

HIV is a virus not a moral issue; around 40 million people around the world are living with HIV or AIDS - 60,000 in the UK.

The global AIDS epidemic has caused a staggering level of death and suffering since it first emerged at the beginning of the 1980s. All over the world, people from all kinds of cultural and social backgrounds have been affected.

In 2006 alone:

• nearly 3 million people died of AIDS 
• half a million children became infected with HIV because their
  mothers did not have access to drugs to prevent them passing on the virus
• the number of children orphaned by AIDS surpassed the 15 million mark.

World AIDS Day is a time to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives, admire the bravery of those living with HIV, raise awareness and money, and highlight the need for a greater global response to the crisis.

Wear a red ribbon on Friday 1 December for World Aids Day.

Useful resources

See the following resources for more information and support.

• Lambeth healthcare services
• Oxfam campaign on HIV/ AIDS
• Avert - international AIDS charity
• Information from Wikipedia