Current Affairs

London: G-A-Y Bar today attempts world record for total number of HIV tests

Dec 01 2012
Written by Benjamin Cohen

G-A-Y Bar on London’s Old Compton Street will once again be providing free HIV tests today to mark World AIDS Day, donate £10 to charity for each test and campaigners hope to break another world record in the process.

Last December’s event at the bar officially broke a Guinness World Record for the number of HIV tests conducted in an eight hour period.

A total of 467 tests were carried out and around £13,000 was raised for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

This year, G-A-Y founder Jeremy Joseph has promised that the bar will donate £10 to the Elton John AIDS Foundation for every HIV test taken.

Staff from 56 Dean Street, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital’s HIV and sexual health centre in Soho, are repeating the challenge in order to promote HIV awareness and “make history” again during next month’s World AIDS Day.

Jake Jenkins of 56 Dean Street said: “Come along to G-A-Y on World AIDS Day to get a free instant and confidential HIV test and support our attempts to promote HIV awareness, reduce stigma and make history.

“The testing will be provided by the friendly, expert team from 56 Dean Street using the world’s fastest antibody test which provides a result in just 60 seconds. Testing early can add, on average, 16 years to someone’s life.”

In his World AIDS Day message, David Cameron said: “Some 25,000 people in the UK do not know they have it, or not benefiting from treatment, and are increasing the risk of passing the virus on.

“This means up to 600 people each year could be dying from a preventable, treatable condition”.