Players from the England and South Africa international cricket teams took time out of their busy schedules during the ICC Champions trophy to visit organisations in England and Wales showing solidarity to those people living with HIV.
England players James Tredwell, Ravi Bopara and Jos Buttler visited Terrence Higgins Trust and The Food Chain in London, while South Africa’s JP Duminy, David Miller, Aaron Phangiso, Farhaan Behardien and assistant coach Russell Domingo visited Terrence Higgins Trust’s offices in Cardiff.
During the visits, players from both teams elected to have rapid HIV tests to help raise awareness for the service that the Trust offers. Tredwell took his test in London and Duminy and Miller completed theirs in Cardiff. Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s largest HIV and sexual health charity and offers a wide range of services, one of them being the rapid HIV test.
In Cardiff, the South African players met people living with HIV in Wales and learned about the stigma attached to living with the disease, as well as their experiences in their everyday life within local communities.
Remarking on the visit, the 24-year-old Miller said: “I took the rapid HIV test today to help raise awareness and also learn more for myself about my status. Being part of the Proteas squad visiting Terrence Higgins Trust in Cardiff today, with some media accompanying us, hopefully we’ve managed to raise awareness of HIV and how easy it is to get tested.
“As group we spoke a lot and learnt about what to do and what not to do and ultimately to be loving and supporting to persons living with HIV. I was very surprised to hear how much persons living with HIV in Wales are suffering with stigma, we in South Africa have a similar issue but it is improving. Today has been a real eye-opener and reality check for all of us.”
Duminy added after he had done his rapid HIV test: “I think it’s important for all of us to know our status, going forward you might meet different people in your life that you are sexually active with and I think it’s important for them to know their status as well. I think it does put your mind at ease if you do take the test, so I definitely recommend it.
“It was very interesting today, just to sit and hear what these people go through on a day to day basis and all the discrimination that they face, the stigma that is shown against HIV and AIDS is pretty dreadful.
At the London visit the England players also the opportunity to meet those living with HIV and get the facts that surround the disease. They also learned how to protect themselves and others whether seropositive or negative.
The cricketers also spent the day visiting The Food Chain kitchen, where meals are prepared every week by volunteers for people living with HIV in London. This kitchen is specially set up to provide food for those who are struggling to gain access the food they need to stay well. The players were treated to some healthy refreshments and learned more about the significance of good nutrition for people living with HIV from the charity who also provide dietetic advice, recipes and cookery classes.
Tredwell said post his HIV Test: “I felt it was important to take the Rapid HIV test on today’s visit to show people that it’s an easily accessible test and that the support and services are available in the UK and globally whether you’re HIV positive or not.
Finally, the players in London also visited THT Direct, Terrence Higgins Trust’s telephone support centre which Bopara was all too keen to help with. The team at THT Direct deal with all sorts of phone calls about HIV including calls from persons living with HIV or people who want to know their status or who are having problems in the work place because of their status. They help them get the facts, which in today’s current climate is hugely imperative.
Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We are delighted to have had this opportunity to share our work with cricket fans. Sport is an incredibly powerful force – it has the potential to unite and bring about social change. By coming to see our work first hand and talking to people living with HIV, these cricketers have flown the flag for HIV awareness and the need to end discrimination. They have also set a great example by showing that modern HIV tests are fast and simple, and needn’t be daunting.
During the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, players from the West Indies side and also the New Zealand team have held coaching clinics with local schools in London and Cardiff under the THINK WISE banner. To find out more visit www.icc-cricket.com
