Positive Campaign Group (PCG)

Positive Campaign Group at GMFA is a group of HIV positive and HIV negative volunteers who have been producing groundbreaking campaigns specifically aimed at improving the health and well being of HIV positive gay men since 1995. GMFA believes that the health of gay men who already have HIV is equally important as the health and wellbeing of HIV negative or untested gay men.

Over the years, Positive Campaign Group has produced a wide variety of interventions including advertising in the gay and positive press, posters, leaflets, web based information and even an audio tape for newly diagnosed gay men. Recent campaigns have tackled issues such as disclosure, informed men about HIV treatment, avoiding co-infections and re-infection and encouraged men to envisage a future for themselves while providing them with means to achieve that future through referrals to support organisations. The group also recently completed the content for the new HIV positive gay men’s website, the ‘Positive Gay Guide’, launched at the end of 2007.

In 2007/8, Positive Campaign group worked on the development of two interventions. The first is a mass media campaign entitled ‘Smoking & HIV’. The campaign aims to inform men of the increased risks of smoking related illnesses for HIV positive smokers compared with HIV negative smokers. This received a £10,000 grant from Pfizer Limited which will cover the placements of the adverts in the gay press that first appeared early in 2008. The second is a mass media campaign aiming to encourage men to test for HIV by highlighting the benefits of knowing your HIV status if you are HIV positive. This is due for launch later in 2008.