About Me

I am a 48-year-old gay man, who has lived over 26 years with HIV (The last 9 with a diagnosis of AIDS). I have nursed and cared for my life partner Charles, who died in 1994 from AIDS. I was diagnosed HIV+ while working as a Firefighter in London during 1987. I continued working in the London Fire Brigade with the managements full knowledge of my HIV status until 1990. After retiring I stood as local authority Labour Councillor (and was elected as) from 1990 to 1994 in the London Borough of Newham, where I became Chair of Direct Services.

In 1995 I became the first Editor of Positive Times a monthly newspaper for the gay male community about the impact of HIV/AIDS. Later that year after leaving Positive Times, I set up, as the founding editor, Positive Nation a monthly magazine for all people affected by HIV/AIDS. Which was given a home by The UK Coalition of People with HIV & AIDS, until the coalition went bankrupt in 2005, and the magazine was brought out by another publishing house and still publishes, although as a quarterly magazine today. And still as a free publication for people living with HIV/AIDS.

In the same year I was also a voluntary anchor of the Radio Show ‘THE POSITIVE ZONE’  on Freedom FM 104.9 which broadcast for a  three times a week for a month in London, pre bidding for the 104.9 FM frequency. Freedom FM didn’t win the contract so the show didn’t continue.

I was also one of the gang of three that set up  a Sunday night techno dance club called WARRIORS, which was hosted by Turnmills in London (Also home of the Saturday Night TRADE).

Following a diagnosis of AIDS dementia, I left London in 2005 (my home for 28 years) to live and be cared for by my sister in Falmouth, Cornwall, until making a recovery because of the wonders of Modern HIV treatments andmoved out to live alone. I had a flat in Falmouth for 2 years, before moving out of Cornwall.

To day I live alone in Lowestoft, Suffolk and try to cope with the damage the virus has inflicted over it’s 26 year residency, having made a good but not perfect recovery from the AIDS dementia. What I write are my feelings and observations on the state of the HIV community in the Twenty-First century.